Another World
by tai'sgirl23
Summary: YA,JM,SS: After running away from her home, Anzu is transported into another world, where time has stood still. Thrown into the middle of a great war, she must help the royal family find the missing ‘Angel of Light’, but will they find her in time?
1. Running Away

Yes, it's yet another Yuugi/Anzu story. Man, I'm writing a lot aren't I?

Anyway, important note before I begin: even though I'm writing 'Pharaoh and the Pauper' at the mo, I've decided to start this fic before the idea escapes me! BUT, just like 'Pharaoh and the Pauper', I will only update this once my exams are finished, so you have a looooooooooooooong wait! Sorry!

This story is mainly based around Anzu, so if you don't like her, or you don't like Yuugi/Anzu, I suggest you leave NOW!

Right, now that that's done, let's get on with the story, shall we?

_'Thoughts'_

"Speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, though I wish I did. Think of the possibilities!

I-

Another World

Chapter 1: Running Away

Summary: Y/A, J/M, S/S: After running away from her home, Anzu is transported into another world, where time has stood still. Thrown into the middle of a great war, she must help the royal family find the missing 'Angel of Light', but will they find her in time? And what do the images in her head mean?

I-

_Lightning_

_Thunder_

_Rain_

_Shouting_

_Running_

Faster. She needs to run faster. 'It's' catching up…

_Lightning_

_Thunder_

_Rain_

_Shouting_

_Running_

Her clothes were soaked and clung to her body, her heart beat faster and faster. But she didn't care, she needed to get away. She needed to escape from 'It'.

_Lightning_

_Thunder_

_Rain_

_Shouting_

_Running_

Her bag weighed her down on her back, her necklace thrashed against her neck, but this was not important. She needed to escape. She glanced behind her as she ran, a few strands of her brown hair partially covering her view.

Behind her, the town of Domino, her home, was covered in a dark cloud, rain pouring down on the once bright city. But this was not what she was looking for. She was looking for 'It', and 'It' was gaining on her.

"You get back here now!" 'It' shouted in its deep voice.

She turned her head back to the front, and felt the tears escape her once crystal blue eyes.

"Never!" she shouted back, attempting to run faster.

"Mazaki Anzu, you get back here right now!" 'It' shouted again. "Do as you father says-"

"You're not my father anymore!" Anzu screamed back at the man she once called father. She needed to escape, but he was so fast. She needed to lose him.

Quickly, her instincts kicking in, she turned to her left and ran down a small alleyway. She heard her father's heavy footsteps behind her, chasing her, splashing in the large puddles from the storm. She quickly turned another corner, then another and another. She kept turning corners, trying to lose her father. After a while, she heard the heavy footsteps of her father disappear, but she wasn't taking any risks, not this time. She continued to run, turning here and there, until she suddenly stopped in front of an odd building.

It was an old shrine, abandoned and falling to pieces. The plants were over grown, and most of the windows and doors had been bordered up, except for a few. Broken statues lay on the ground. Anzu did not like the idea of being left in the open, so she ran into the shrine, even though she was terrified of the spirits that may be inside. She slammed the door behind her shut, the loud crash echoing through the old building, and leaned against the door. She placed her hand on her chest, feeling her fast heart beat, and breathed heavily to catch her breath. She listened to the world outside. All she heard was the heavy rain and roaring thunder. No footsteps. No shouting. Once she caught her breath back and was sure no one was outside, shock turned into sadness. She slipped down the door onto the floor, and began to cry.

Why? Why was this happening to her? What had she done? Things didn't use to be like this. Things were better before the accident. Her father blamed her, but it wasn't her fault. She was only a child them. It was _his _fault it happened. It was his fault her mother had died…

"Mother!"

She used her hand to search the area around her neck. As soon as she found it, she grabbed her crystal necklace, which hung around her neck, the one her mother had given her when she was a small child. She had never taken it off, never…

And the other gift from her mother, the one she had given her before the accident. Did she still have it? She prayed she did. Panicking, she searched her pockets, until felt her Duel Monster cards in her jacket pocket. She sighed, thankful she still had them, the last memories of her mother trapped within them.

"Where are you mum?"

She stayed there, on the floor of the shrine, never letting go of her mother's gifts, alone in the silent…

"AHH!"

Anzu held her head. A searing pain erupted in her head, growing worse and worse by the second. The pressure became worse and worse.

"What's…happening…"

She found it hard to breath. She screwed her eyes as the pain continued to grow worse. The world around her began to blur away, the darkness grew around her. Flashes appeared out of nowhere, and images began to appear…

_…black sand…_

_…an evil darkness…_

_…a palace, in the middle of the sand…_

_…a young man, with strange hair…_

_…purple eyes…_

_…and a voice…_

_…it was calling her, calling her to come to his world…_

_…he needed help…_

Anzu's eyes suddenly shot open, her breathing heavy, and she found herself lying in the floor of the shrine. The pain had gone. As quickly as it had come, it had gone, as were the images.

"What…what was that? What was with those images?" The image of the young man came into her mind. "That man…huh?"

Anzu looked up at the wall in front of her. Something had caught her eye. An old tapestry. She climbed to her feet, still feeling weak from the pain she experienced, and slowly walked over to it, hypnotised by its beauty.

It was huge, and covered the whole wall. Sewn into it, were images of what Anzu believed to be two kingdoms: one covered in a white light,

_…a palace, in the middle of the sand…_

the other covered in darkness.

_…an evil darkness…_

There were men in armour. A war. They were battling in a strange desert.

_…black sand…_

And there were monsters; Duel Monsters. But how was that possible? In the sky, there was an even brighter light. A figure stood in the middle, but the face had been worn away. There was some text too, at the bottom, but this had also been worn away as time had passed.

The detail was amazing, especially on the main figures in the foreground. There were 3 men; one in the darkness, and two in the light. The one in darkness looked as if he had white hair, and an evil face. The two figures in the light looked exactly alike: both had strange tri-coloured hair, though one had a strange pendent around his neck, and was slightly taller than the other.

_…a young man, with strange hair…_

Anzu looked more closely at the slightly shorter figure. Her hand slowly came up and came closer to this image, wanting to touch it. That man, he seemed so familiar to her, but where?

_…purple eyes…_

Her hand came closer and closer to the image.

_…and a voice…_

_…it was calling her, calling her to come to his world…_

_…he needed help…_

_"Help us!"_

Softly, she touched the man's heart.

"AHH!"

Anzu covered her eyes as a bright light erupted into the room. The shrine around her began to disappear, absorbed by the light. The ground beneath her vanished, and she fell. She felt as though she was leaving her world behind. She screamed as she continued to fall…

…Falling…

…Falling…

…Falling…

…And then…

…Nothing…

To be continued…

I-

So, what did you think? If no one likes it, I'll remove it, but please R&R!


	2. A New World

Thanks you **jessiejames** for reviewing! I'm glad someone likes it! I just wish that more people did. Where are all the Yuugi x Anzu fans anyway?

Did I mention that it's a Jonouchi x Mai story too?

Anyway, enough of that. Lets get on with the next chapter, shall we?

_Thoughts'_

"Speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, though I wish I did. Think of the possibilities!

I-

Another World

Chapter 2: A New World

I-

Anzu quickly opened her eyes, and then shut them just as quickly due to the bright light of the sun. She kept them close for a few moments, letting them recover, before slowly opening them again, getting used to the light.

Strange. If she was still in the shrine-which until that moment she thought she was-why was there light? And where was that breeze coming from? And was that smoke she could smell?

Things got even stranger when she finally opened her eyes and saw the sight before her. She seemed to be lying down on something, a rug of some sort by what she could feel with her hands. She was looking up, since she was lying on her back. Above her, she could see clear blue sky, hidden behind palm trees.

Palm trees? In Domino? How was that possible?

"W-where am I?"

"Kemet (1)," said a voice.

Anzu turned her head slightly to the right. Standing next to a magnificent white horse, was a young man. He seemed to be attaching some bags or something, for the horse had bags attached to its saddle, as if it's master was travelling somewhere. The man was short, yes, but not very. He had strange tri-coloured hair: mainly black with purple highlights and blonde forelocks, and had big, deep purple eyes, that looked kind and caring. His skin was slightly tanned, probably due to the hot sun, which Anzu could now feel the heat of, even though she was in the shade. His voice was kind and sweet, but at the same time, mysterious. And something about him seemed so familiar to Anzu…but where…

The vision!

_…black sand…_

_…an evil darkness…_

_…a palace, in the middle of the sand…_

_…a young man, with strange hair…_

_…purple eyes…_

_…and a voice…_

_…it was calling her, calling her to come to his world…_

_…he needed help…_

This man was the man from the tapestry and from her vision. But, how was that possible? And could she trust him?

"What?" Anzu asked, confused.

"You asked where you were," the man said kindly, walking over to Anzu and leaving the horse, which was tied up to a tree and was happily eating the grass at his feet. "You're in Kemet."

Anzu began to sit up. "And just what is 'Kemet'? A city, a country?"

"A world."

"What!"

"Kemet is the name of the world we're in. You were transported here from your world." The man sat down next to Anzu. She noticed the clothes he was wearing were different from what she was used to. He seemed to be wearing some sort of tunic and sandals. He in turn was studying Anzu. He had never seen a girl like her before; dressed in a turquoise top, yellow jacket, white shorts and trainers/sneakers (2). She was definitely not from this world. Was she the one whom he and his brother had been hoping for?

Still confused about what was going on, Anzu continued to try and sit up, even though she felt very weak.

"And, who are you? OW!"

Anzu grabbed her left arm as a sharp pain came from her wrist. The man seemed very worried and immediately got to his knees to help.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worry embedded in his face.

Anzu clenched her teeth as the pain became worse. "My wrist…it…hurts…" was all she could say.

"Here, let me take a look," the man said kindly. Anzu looked up at him, still not sure if she could trust him. She had only just met him. He could try and hurt her even more if he wanted to, then kidnap her, or something horrible like that.

"Don't worry, you can trust me," the man said, as if he could read her mind. Anzu looked into his eyes, and saw things that she never thought she'd see again: kindness and trust. Slowly, she nodded her head and gave her hand to the man. "Now, this may hurt a bit." And he began to feel her wrist, checking for any broken bones.

A few silent moments passed as he continued to check her wrist, where the only sound was the occasional 'ouch' from Anzu.

"Yuugi," the man said after a while.

"Sorry?"

"You asked me what my name was. It's Yuugi."

"Oh…err…nice to meet you, Yuugi."

Yuugi smiled at Anzu, then continued to examine her wrist. "May I ask what your name is?"

"Err…sure. It's Anzu."

"Anzu…hmm…beautiful name. Well Anzu," Yuugi said cheerfully placing Anzu wrist down slowly, "it's a pleasure to meet you. And you'll be glad to know that nothing's broken. You've just pulled a muscle. But just to be safe…" He ripped a strip of cloth off of his clothing, and used it as a bandage, carefully wrapping it round Anzu's wrist and making sure she wasn't in any more pain. "There. That should do it."

"Thanks," Anzu said, rubbing the bandage softly.

"So, where are you from Anzu?" Yuugi asked, sitting back down next to her. He was curious about this girl. She was different from all the girls back home. He wanted to know everything about her.

"Oh, you've probably never heard of it." Anzu glanced up at Yuugi, then quickly looked down at her wrist again. She felt a funny feeling inside of her, but it quickly disappeared.

"Try me," said Yuugi challengingly, crossing his arms

"Well, OK. I come from a place called Domino."

"Domino? Is that some kind of country?"

"No, it's a town. It's in Japan."

"I've never heard of this 'Japan'. Where is it?"

Anzu was about to answer, but found that she couldn't. If this man, Yuugi, was correct, she was in a completely different world, so how was she suppose to explain where her home was?

She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Unfortunately, she soon found she was not.

"I don't know," was all she could say

"Do you know how you got here?"

"Not really. I just remember being in some shrine, looking at some tapestry, and then I woke up here."

_'Strange,' _thought Yuugi. _'This girl appears from nowhere, and has no idea how she got here. It's like she was brought here for a reason. Could she really be the one?'_

Anzu held onto the necklace around her neck. She always did this when she felt scared, alone, or just missed her mother, like she did now. Yuugi seemed to be deep in thought, and she had quite a good idea what he was thinking about.

She was 16 years old, with brown hair and blue eyes, and was sitting right in front of him.

"Oh," Yuugi spoke suddenly, making Anzu jump. "I almost forgot!"

Anzu watched as Yuugi looked inside a small pouch around his waist that she only just noticed, looking for something. He soon did, and pulled out what Anzu believed to be some cards. They were brown, with a black hole in the middle and orange trim.

_'Duel Monster cards!'_

"I found these scattered around when I found you unconscious in the desert. I believe they're yours."

He held out the deck of cards. Anzu looked down at the cards; back up at Yuugi, then back down to the cards. She picked them up and looked through the cards.

"You found me in the desert?" she asked as she shuffled through the cards. The 'Shining Friendship' card came into view. Yup, this was definitely her deck.

"Uh-huh. You were unconscious, but you were muttering something in a language I couldn't understand, but it sounded like you were saying the same word. I couldn't leave you out there on your own, so I brought you to this oasis."

Anzu placed her deck back into her jacket pocket. "What was I saying? When I was muttering, I mean."

"I'm not exactly sure, but it sounded like 'okasan'" (a/n: not sure if that's right!)

Anzu gave a small gasp, and looked away, holding the necklace around her neck tighter. She tried to hold back the tears that were forming in her eyes.

Yuugi, who watched Anzu's reaction, placed a comforting hand over her own.

"I take it you know what that word means?" he asked in the softest and kindest voice possible.

"Yes. Where I'm from, it means 'mother'."

"Mother? So, your mother came here with you?"

"No, she couldn't have." A tear rolled down her cheek. "She died when I was a small child."

"Oh. I'm sorry Anzu, I shouldn't have asked."

"No it's OK. You didn't know." _'But what's strange is,' _she thought to herself, _'how comes when Yuugi found me, I was speaking Japanese, but now, I'm speaking his language…whatever it is?'_

Yuugi looked away slightly. He wanted to ask her more, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"What about…the rest of your family?" he asked, though he didn't expect an answer.

That was why he was surprised when Anzu answered bitterly, "I have no family."

Yuugi, not wanting to hurt Anzu's feelings any longer, decided it was time to change the subject. Only, what else could he talk about?

That was when he spotted the cards sticking out of Anzu's pocket.

"You know, here in Kemet, only important and powerful people, such as the royal family and Priest's and Priestess's, own a deck like yours and can use them. That must mean you have powerful magic inside of you"

Anzu's quickly dried her tears. She looked up at Yuugi, whilst reaching into her pocket and feeling her deck.

"Really?"

"Yup." He looked up at the sky. A small breeze blew and rustled the leaves of the palm trees. "And right now, we need all the powerful people we can get."

"Why's that, or can't you tell me?"

Yuugi looked at Anzu and smiled. "No, I can tell you. I trust you after all."

Anzu blinked. Yuugi trusted her? But they had only known each other a few minutes. How could he trust someone as quickly as that? Was he able to tell if a person was trustworthy or not at a first glance, like he could see into their souls? Or was he just stupid?

Yuugi looked back up at the sky, the shade from the trees partially covering his face.

"I can't tell you much, otherwise I may have to kill you." Anzu swallowed, hard. Yuugi saw this and laughed. "I'm only joking! I'd never kill someone as kind as you!" Anzu sighed, which only caused Yuugi to laugh again. "Anyway, the reason we need powerful people is because the kingdom I'm from and the most important and powerful kingdom in Kemet, The Kingdom of Light, is at war.

"For as long as I can remember, we've depended on the power of the Millennium items to live. It's how we survive. But a few years ago, a dark force entered our world, and our power started to disappear. That's because someone is stealing it and using it against us to take over our kingdom and the whole of Kemet."

"And, who's doing that?" Anzu asked

There was a slight pause, until Yuugi answered in a disgusted voice, "The Empire of Dark Souls. Their leader is the one who's behind the destruction of our world." He clenched his fists in rage.

"And who's their leader?"

But Yuugi didn't answer. He had heard something, and that something was coming closer.

"Yuugi?"

"Shh!" Yuugi said, covering Anzu's mouth with his hand. Anzu felt herself blush. "Do you hear that?"

At first, Anzu heard nothing but the trees rustling in the wind. But as she listened more closely, she began to hear it.

It sounded like a whistle, and it was coming closer.

"Look out!" Yuugi yelled.

Anzu felt herself being pushed to the ground, then felt Yuugi on top of her. Before she could do or say anything, something whizzed passed their heads and landed with a soft 'thud' in the ground a few feet away from them. Yuugi's horse wined in fear. Anzu felt Yuugi getting off of her and running to his horse to calm him down.

She slowly stood up, and looked around, trying to find the 'thing' that had gone passed her head. In the distance, she could hear galloping. It sounded like horses, lots of them. And then there was shouting and yelling.

As the sounds grew louder, Anzu soon found the 'thing' that had flown past her's and Yuugi's heads, and she was not happy to see how close it was to where she sat.

An arrow

"Holy shit…"

"Anzu!" Yuugi shouted. Anzu looked up at him, and saw that he was carrying a bow and a few arrows. He was going after the people that had shot him! "You stay here where it's safe."

And before Anzu could say anything, Yuugi was off in a flash, running towards the edge of the oasis. Not wanting Yuugi to get hurt or do anything stupid, Anzu stood up and ran after him, calling him as she did. But he either didn't hear her, or ignored her.

She soon reached the edge of the oasis, and quickly hid behind a tree as another arrow came shooting past, missing her arm by inches. She glanced out from behind the tree at Yuugi. He was loading up his bow and shooting arrows back at the enemy, never missing his target. Anzu saw that she was right, as there were a number of men on black horses, completely dressed in black, charging towards them. It seemed they knew Yuugi, for they were calling his name, threatening to kill him.

Unfortunately for them, Yuugi was a far better bows man than they were, for he had managed to kill ten of them within a matter of minutes. Anzu had to admit, she was impressed.

But all too soon, Yuugi ran out of arrows, and what was rest of the enemy was closing in on them. And it didn't help when an arrow shot past his arm, scrapping him as it did.

"Shit!" he cursed. He quickly ripped off another strip of cloth from his clothes and tied around his injury. "There's only one thing I can do now."

He put his hand inside his pouch once again, and pulled out something familiar out. As Anzu looked closer, she saw that Yuugi too had Duel Monster cards. But how was that possible? Yuugi had said only important and powerful people could use them. Did that mean that Yuugi was one of them? There was still so much she didn't understand, and Yuugi seemed to be getting more mysterious by the second.

Yuugi pulled out his deck, and pulled a card from the top. He smiled as he glanced at the card. Satisfied, he held it above his head.

"Now I summon, Curse of Dragon!"

Something glowed around Yuugi's neck, as did the card above his head. Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of the card and into the air, causing the enemy to stop in their tracks. Out of the light, two wings sprouted out, followed by a snake like body, then a large head. There was an almighty roar before a yellow snake like dragon appearing in the sky. Anzu, amazed at the sight before her, heard the enemy cursing and saw them trying to escape.

But there was no escape from a real monster.

"Now my dragon!" Yuugi shouted, "Attack!"

The dragon gave another roar, before launching it's fiery attack at the enemy. Fortunately for them, the dragon's attack barely missed, causing only a few of them to burn. They quickly rode away, shouting at Yuugi that they'd be back for revenge.

Once he was sure they were gone, Curse of Dragon began to fly back down to his master, satisfied with was he's just done. But on the way down, the dragon began to glow, and it disappeared back into the card in another beam of light.

When the light died away, Yuugi looked down at the card in his hand. "It seems the problem is getting worse, but thank you for helping me, my dragon." He placed the deck back in his pouch. He began to make his way back to where he left his horse, and where he thought he'd left Anzu.

So he was a little surprised when Anzu appeared by his side from behind him and starting shouting at him.

"What the hell was that!" she yelled

"What do you mean?" asked Yuugi when they got back to his little 'camp'. He began to clear everything up and load up his horse.

"I mean the whole thing with the arrows and the dragon! I thought you said only powerful people could use a deck!"

"I did. But I didn't say that I wasn't one of them did I?"

Anzu opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. He had a point.

"OK then, tell me this. How was it that you were able to summon a monster from a card?"

Yuugi looked up at her with a confused look. "That's it?"

"Err…yeah."

Yuugi sighed and continued with the job at hand, whilst explaining to Anzu how he can summon monsters. "You know I said earlier about the Millennium Items? Well, that's what we use to summon them. Only, there are only seven of them, so people who own decks but do not own a Millennium item have these," He held up a chain around his neck. There was a small, golden pendent on it in the shape of a strange eye.

"The rest of us use these pendants. They're made out of the same gold as the Millennium Items, but are not as powerful. They only allow us to summon the monsters on the cards, and use magic and traps to help them. It works by opening up the gateway between this world and the world of the monsters. You see, my people believe that there are more worlds out there other than our own. That's how we summon the monsters, and that's how you got here." He secured the last item to the horse and turned to face Anzu. "After all, you're not from this world, and I believe you were brought here by the magical powers inside of you and your deck."

Anzu just started at Yuugi. Magical powers? Her? That was impossible!

But then again, after seeing that dragon summoned right in front her, she couldn't help but believe what Yuugi was saying.

"But now that our power is disappearing, the monsters don't stay with us long when we summon them, and there's only one person who can save us now…Anyway," Yuugi untied his horse and jumped up onto the saddle, taking hold of the reins. "It's not safe here anymore. They may come back."

"Who were they?"

"They were the followers of the man who is trying to take over this world. They belong to the Empire of Dark Souls. You can always recognise them by their clothes, since they always dress in black."

"Who's their leader?"

"I can't tell you now, but I may be able to when we reach the city."

"City?"

"Yup, our capital city, where are King lives. I need to return there to…discuss a few things. Would you like to come?"

"What? Me? Come with you?"

"Why not? It's not like you'll be going anywhere else, since this isn't your world. Besides, we're friends now, aren't we?" Yuugi held out a hand.

Anzu looked at Yuugi's hand, then back at Yuugi. Did he just say they were friends? She'd never had a friend before. Never.

"So, are you coming or not?"

Anzu smiled and took Yuugi's hand. "Sure!"

Yuugi helped Anzu up onto his horse. Once he was sure she was OK, he pulled on the reins and they were off, on their way to the capital city. They left the safety of the oasis and galloped along the sands of the desert. Anzu held onto Yuugi's waist. She'd never been on a horse before, and she was finding it exciting, yet terrifying at the same time.

Yuugi smiled as he felt Anzu's grip tighten. He placed one hand over hers and gave it a comforting squeeze.

He looked in front of him, as they galloped past the area where his dragon had attacked the enemy. There were a few dead bodies scattered around. These were the ones he had shot his arrows at. Most of them had been burnt by his dragon's attack, but a few of them remained unharmed, apart from the arrow in their heads.

As they past the blackened sand, thoughts came into Yuugi's mind.

_'That battle may be over,'_ he thought, _'But the worst is still to come.'_

I-

To be continued…

I-

(1)- Kemet: Ancient Egypt was called "Kemet" by its people meaning "black land" referring to the richness of the soil. I've decided to call this other world this since this world is kinda like Ancient Egypt, but then again, it's not. You'll understand what I mean in a few chapters time!

(2)…dressed in a turquoise top, yellow jacket, white shorts and trainers/sneakers: basically, just think of the clothes she was wearing in Waking the Dragons/ Doma from the episode 'On the Wrong Tracks'

Sorry if this chapter confused anyone. Anyway, please R&R and I'll see you all in June/July.


	3. Meeting

I'M BACK!

Yes, that's right people! I'm back with the next chapter of 'Another World'. Although I'm still doing my exams at the moment, I have a few days off, so I thought I'd get this chapter up. I apologise now for its shortness!

(looks at reviews) omg! How many people reviewed! Thank you guys so much! And to show how grateful I am, I'll thank you all one by one:

**lonlywolf**

**metalminions**

**Jessiejames**

**anime-ruthless v.1**

**Mimato-4eva**

**Rain5101**

**sweetNaughtylittleangelgirl485**

**The Broken Bow**

**trekker4life**

**XXR.I.PXX**

**dbzgtfan2004**

Now, lets get on with the story, shall we?

_'Thoughts'_

"Speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, though I wish I did. Think of the possibilities!

I-

Another World

Chapter 3: Meeting

I-

"But we have to attack!"

The King closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as he felt yet another headache coming along. _'I hate it when they get like this,' _he thought to himself.

As a Pharaoh, you would have expected him to be used to these kind of emergency meetings, but this Pharaoh was different from other Pharaoh's in many ways. For example, because he was so young (16 years old to be exact), he always hated it whenever emergency assemblies were held and he was forced to go along, whereas he knew his father had always enjoyed these kind of get-togethers when he was alive.

But these meetings never used to be a chore for our young Pharaoh, for he used to have someone with him to accompany him and help him stay awake. But that person had had to leave on an important mission three months ago, and he wasn't due back for another two. The Pharaoh sighed heavily at this thought. _'I miss him so much,' _he thought.

The Pharaoh sat quietly in his throne with his thoughts, until he was brought back to reality by the sensation of something tickling his cheek. Groaning, he slowly opened his eyes to find that the 'thing' tickling him, was just his hair. He cursed under his breath as he tried to brush his blonde forelocks away from his crimson eyes, but was always unsuccessful, for however many times he tried, his forelocks always feel back into place.

_'Why did I have to be cursed with this mess of hair!'_

The Pharaoh had always hated his hair: large spiky hair that was mainly black with reddish/purplish highlights and blonde forelocks, it was very unique. There was only one other person in the whole of Kemet who had hair anything like his own (though the Pharaoh had a few more blonde streaks in his hair than said person). Unfortunately, this person was the one who had had to leave three months ago.

The only family he had left.

His own flesh and blood.

Some even referred to him as the Pharaoh's 'other half'. Ever since he had left, the Pharaoh's life had been dull and boring…

…except for the attacks on his kingdom from the Empire of Dark Souls.

The Pharaoh looked up at the sight before him: seated around a rectangular stone table, were six people-five men and a woman- all dressed in white robes, their bodies decorated with all sorts of golden jewellery, such as rings and arm bands. These were six of the most powerful people in the Kingdom of Light, and perhaps the whole of Kemet: The six Priests and the Pharaoh's closest allies and friends.

But they were not just allies, for each of them had another responsibility. These six powerful people were keepers of six out of the seven Millennium items, and each one had mastered the magic contained in these sacred items.

The 7th Millennium item belonged to the Pharaoh himself. He looked down at the golden item that hung round his neck on a brown leather strap, barely feeling the weight of it around his neck. His item was in the shape of an upside down pyramid, and had a strange eye-like symbol engraved on the front. This was the Millennium Puzzle, the most powerful Millennium item of them all. As the Pharaoh fiddled with the strap that held this magical item, he looked up at the six Priests again, trying to get back into the discussion…

He looked up at the first priest, the one that was so eager to attack, and wasn't surprised when he saw who it was. _'I should have known it would be him.'_

This first priest was slightly different from the other 5 priests. Instead of having robes that were plainly white, this Priest wore robes that signified this favourite colour: blue. Even his headdress, which hid this neat brown hair, was blue. At that moment, he was standing up out of his seat, his icy blue eyes urging the other priests to agree with him and stop the Empire of Dark Souls. In his hand, he held a golden rod, with the same eye-like symbol that was on the Millennium Puzzle engraved on the ball at the top.

This was Priest Seto, the keeper of the Millennium Rod.

"Please! We must attack now!" he urged the others, his grip on the Millennium Rod tightening.

"Seto, you must calm down," replied a second priest. Like the others around him, this Priest wore pure white robes. His head was smooth for he had no hair, had deep greyish blue eyes, and held a golden ankh (1) shaped item in his hand.

Priest Shada, the keeper of the Millennium Key.

"Shada is right," agreed a third priest. He had jet-black hair that just brushed against his shoulders, dark eyes and held a golden set of scales in his hand. These too had the mysterious eye-like symbol engraved onto them.

Priest Karim, keeper of the Millennium Scales.

"If we act don't act rationally," Priest Karim continued in a calm voice, "then we would be falling into their trap, endangering not only ourselves, but the people of this Kingdom."

"They are already in danger!" Priest Seto shot back. "If we just sit here and do nothing, the Empire of Dark Souls can easily attack us once again just like 2 years ago!" Seto turned to the Priest seated next to him. "Father, you agree with me, don't you?"

Seto's 'father' looked up from underneath his hood, a glint of gold shimmered from his left eye. This was Priest Akunadin, the oldest of the six priests, and the keeper of the Millennium Eye. As he spoke with his heavy voice, he gently stroked his white beard.

"Yes son, I agree that something must be done, and quickly. We are endangering the lives of so many people by just sitting here and taking no action what so ever."

"I understand your concerns," said Priest Shada, "but you must understand that we would not be doing nothing. Although it may seem as if we don't care for the safety for our people, we do. I believe it would be better to stay here where we can easily protect our people if there is another attack. Mahado? Isis? Don't you agree?"

All eyes turned on the two final priests seated nearest the Pharaoh, for they were his closest and not trusted friends.

The man, seated to the right of the Pharaoh, had deep, caring, soft brown eyes, and his headdress covered his brown hair. Around his next hung a large golden ring with 5 spires hanging off the edge, and a triangle situated in the middle of the ring with the mysterious eye-like symbol engraved onto it. This was Priest Mahado, the keeper of the Millennium Ring.

Seated on the left side of the Pharaoh, was the final priest, and the only female in the room. Her long jet-black hair was also hidden away by a headdress, and her beautiful blue eyes showed nothing but a desire to help all people. Around her neck, she wore a golden necklace, the eye-like symbol glowing slightly in the light. The last priest was known as Isis, and she was the keeper of the Millennium Necklace.

Both Priests looked up at each other at the call of their names. They looked into one another's eyes for a moment, before nodding in agreement to a secret message that only they knew.

"We believe it is not our choice to decide what we do next," Priest Isis spoke first in a calm, soft voice.

"It is up to Pharaoh Atemu to decide what we must do," Priest Mahado spoke, looking up at the young Pharaoh next to him.

All eyes turned on the Pharaoh seated in his throne. Atemu sighed. He hated it when he had to make decisions like this. Whatever he decided, someone was bound to be unhappy.

_'And knowing Seto, that will be him.'_

Atemu sifted his position, being that he was not able to feel his behind due to the cold stone surface of his throne, before finally speaking.

"Although I agree with both arguments and I know of the dangers that the Empire of Dark Souls has forced upon us, I believe that we should stay here in our own Kingdom and in our own city-"

"But Pharaoh-" Priest Seto began to protest

"Silence! Pharaoh speaks!" Atemu shouted in rage, standing up from his throne.

Seto immediately silenced himself and sat back down in his seat. He bowed his head in shame and embarrassment.

Atemu continued. "I understand your concern Seto, and yours too Akunadin, but I believe Shada is correct. If the enemy _does_ decide to attack out city again, then we would be able to protect the people with the magic of our Millennium items. Their powers may be fading away, but we can still use them to protect the innocent. If we are not here when the enemy attacks, who will save them? We are the only ones that have any chance of defeating this evil. Besides, we do not know much about what the Empire, yet alone what they are planning. It would be best to wait for my other half to return or until we receive any kind of information from him. It may still be two months until his return, but it is best that we prepare before we act."

Isis smiled up at Atemu. "Well said my Pharaoh."

Atemu smiled back down at her and sat back down in his throne. "Now that that's settled-"

BANG!

"Pharaoh Atemu!"

Everyone looked up, the sound of the door being flown open and hitting the wall echoing through the stone room. Footsteps could be heard approaching the throne. Atemu stood up at he saw two very familiar guards running towards him, shouting his name. They came to the bottom on the throne and knelt in front of it, bowing their heads.

"Guards, what is it?" Atemu asked urgently.

The slightly taller of the two looked up first, his dark brown hair rustling slightly as a small breeze blew into the room.

"My Pharaoh, we are sorry to intrude on you."

"Not at all my friends. Please, tell me why you are here."

The second guard now looked up, some of wild blonde hair slightly hiding his soft brown eyes.

"Pharaoh, we have seen something coming across the desert. We are not sure, but it looked like a man riding a white horse."

Atemu felt his heart beat quicken in his chest. _'A white horse? But, that's impossible!'_

"He had already given the signal with the Black Magician Girl!" the brunette guard exclaimed.

Atemu couldn't believe what he was hearing. A man on a white horse? The Black Magician Girl's signal? It could only be one person, but he wasn't due back for two months!

Atemu felt his knees so weak and held onto one of the armrests on his throne. "You mean…?"

The blonde guard nodded in agreement, not even trying to hide the large smile across his face, or the excitement in his voice as he spoke. "He's back sire."

Atemu felt his breath catch in his throat.

"…My other half…"

I-

To be continued…

I-

(1) Ankh: this was the Egyptian symbol of life and rebirth

Well, I hope you liked it! Who is Atemu's other half? Well, you're just gonna have to wait for the next chapter to find out! And you only have to wait a few weeks…

Please R&R!


	4. Illuminarta: City of the Pharaoh

Another World

Chapter 4: Illuminarta: City of the Pharaoh

I-

Anzu searched her mind in hope of finding a suitable word to describe the sight before her, but she could only think of one…

"Wow…"

As she looked down from the sand dune on which she and Yuugi were on, she saw a magnificent city below, situated in the middle of the desert sand, and next to a large river. The buildings grouped below resembled those from Ancient Egypt-made of sand-coloured bricks that glowed in the late afternoon sun. A large palace was situated in the middle, surrounded by smaller buildings and houses, all of the same colour. Anzu had come to the conclusion that the palace belonged to the ruler of the Kingdom of Light, and the buildings surrounding it housed the people that lived in the city. Just in front of the breath-taking palace was a small square, where Anzu guessed hosted a large market everyday, for there were small stools set up around the edge, and crowds of people were moving about. Surrounding the city was a ten-foot stonewall, with posts at regular intervals for guards to stand watch. The only way to enter the city was through the large gates that stood at the front of the city.

This, as Yuugi had said during their journey, was Illuminarta: City of the Pharaoh

It had taken them three days to reach the city, only stopping for food and water and to sleep in the small oasis' that littered the desert. During their trip, Yuugi and Anzu had become close friends, telling each other little things about themselves- their hobbies, favourite food, little things like that. But although they had become such good friends in such a short amount of time, they still had secrets from each other.

Although it had been a smooth journey with no important incidents to speak of, Yuugi remembered something that had happened on their second night…

Yuugi had been awoken by the sound of Anzu screaming in her sleep. He had managed to wake her up, and had asked her what was wrong. Anzu, although clearly in distress, had just said that it was only a nightmare, and that it was nothing important.

_"Don't worry about me!"_ She had said

But Yuugi _did_ worry. He cared about his new friend and knew she was keeping something from him, something that haunted her each night for she continued to have nightmares. But Yuugi was not one to urge, for he was keeping his own secret, one that was soon to be revealed…

At that moment in time, Yuugi and Anzu (who was behind Yuugi) were seated on Yuugi's white horse, which had stopped on top of a large sand dune near Illuminarta. The eye-like pendent around Yuugi's neck was glowing once again and he held a Duel Monsters card above his head, just like he had done with Curse of Dragon a few days ago. But this time, he had summoned a different kind of monster.

Anzu looked up in the sky at the monster Yuugi had summoned this time. She may have already seen him summon a monster before, but this was only her second time seeing a real life monster, so you couldn't blame her for being amazed. The creature this time was not a dragon, but a magician. A female magician to be exact. She was dressed in a pale blue and pink outfit, with matching boots, gloves and hat, and was hovering in the sky. She had long, flowing blonde hair, and large emerald green eyes. In her hand, she held a blue staff with a yellow ball attached at the end.

The Black Magician Girl

"Black Magician Girl! Show them the signal again!" Yuugi shouted to the young magician. He could feel the magic beginning to fade, and didn't know how much longer Black Magician Girl could stay.

The Black Magician Girl nodded at her master's instructions, and hovered forward a few feet. Holding her staff above her head, she closed her eyes and let her power and energy flow through her body to the ball at the end of her staff. After a few brief moments, her eyes suddenly shot open. In one swift movement, she brought her staff down in front of her and began to rotate it in one large circle, letting out small bursts of powerful pink magic. The magic exploded in the air like fireworks, forming a circle of glitter and magic. After ten full turns, Black Magician Girl stopped and flew back down to her master's side, waiting for her next instructions.

"Thanks Black Magician Girl," thanked Yuugi when the young magician hovered by his side. "That was fantastic! One of your best yet! Now all we have to do is wait."

Anzu, not for the first time since meeting Yuugi, was a little confused. She had no idea what Yuugi was waiting for, or what the Black Magician Girl had just did, but she decided to stay quiet and keep her thoughts to herself.

"Master Yuugi is waiting for the Pharaoh to let him in," said a sweet voice.

Anzu looked up to see Black Magician girl smiling down at her. She blinked.

"W-what?"

"Master Yuugi cannot enter the city until the Pharaoh says so," replied Black Magician Girl. "We had to show our special signal to tell him it's us! Now we must wait until the Pharaoh allows the gates to open."

"O-oh. T-thank you." Anzu couldn't believe her ears. Did Black Magician Girl just speak to her? And how did she know what she was thinking?

_'What is it with this world?'_ Anzu thought to herself. _'Does everyone here have telepathic powers or something!'_

Yuugi couldn't help but laugh at the conversation that was taking place behind him. Anzu was from a completely different world, and he doubted she had seen; yet alone talked to a real monster before. He had to wonder what was going through Anzu's mind right now. But he knew that Black Magician Girl was only trying to help her, for he knew that she liked this strange and interesting girl, just as he did. At that moment, a smile appeared on Yuugi's lips as an idea formed in his head.

_'But that will have to wait,'_ he thought to himself. _'Right now, I have bigger problems.'_

He looked back down at the gates that granted access to Illuminarta and exhaled loudly. They were still closed.

_'Come on Atemu, it's me! I know I shouldn't be back yet, but this is an emergency! Please let me in. I need to talk to you. Please!'_

Suddenly, as though Yuugi's prayer had been answered, the large stone gates slowly began to open, allowing Yuugi access to the city.

"Finally!" Yuugi exclaimed. "It's about time they opened the gates."

"The Pharaoh has granted you access?" Black Magician Girl asked, now at Yuugi's side again.

"He sure has, but it took him long enough! Thank you for your help Black Magician Girl."

"Anything for Master Yuugi," Black Magician Girl beamed. She turned around and winked at Anzu, before being absorbed in a small glow, and disappearing back into her card in a small beam of light.

"Yuugi," Anzu spoke as her new friend replaced his card in his pouch around his waist. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead!" Yuugi picked up the reins in front of him, ready to move.

"Well, I was just wondering, Black Magician Girl was here longer than Curse of Dragon was the other day. I was just wondering why that was."

"That's because we're closer to the Millennium Items, meaning that the monsters can last in this world a lot longer." He pointed to the palace below. "All seven Millennium Items are in that palace, along with the people responsible for them." He dropped his hand and picked up the reins once again. "And we're about to meet the man with the most powerful Millennium Item of them all: Pharaoh Atemu, the keeper of the Millennium Puzzle."

"We're what!" Anzu said in an outburst. "Yuugi I-"

But before she could finish, they were off. Anzu once again held onto Yuugi's waist as the horse charged down the sand dune towards the city. Anzu felt her heart hammer in her chest as her fear increased. She was so scared, she…

"You'll be OK. I won't let anything happen to you."

Anzu felt Yuugi hold onto her left hand; careful not to hurt it for it was still wrapped in a makeshift bandage. Slowly, and ever so carefully, she opened her eyes as Yuugi's words rang in her ears. They brought a new found courage to her soul, and she found that she was not as afraid as she used to be, and even managed to look ahead of her to see where they were going.

They had ridden past the gates now, which had been closed when they had passed. They were now ridding through the large streets of the city, rushing past small houses and surprised faces. Anzu saw the people were dressed exactly like Yuugi was- in Egyptian clothes and tunics with sandals, their skin slightly tanned from the hot sun. At the sound of the horse, the people rushed from their houses and into the streets, and were surprised to see the sight before them. Why was Yuugi back so soon? And who was that girl with him? She was not from this world, but where was she from?

Yuugi and Anzu continued to race through the streets, coming closer to the centre of the city, where the large palace stood. As the large structure came closer and closer, Anzu wondered why they were going to see the Pharaoh. Why would he see a commoner like Yuugi? Or was Yuugi hiding something from her?

The white horse now rushed through the large square in front of the palace, passing the many stools and stands that had been set up for the market. They passed through another gate that guard the palace and stopped in the courtyard, next to a flight of stone steps that lead up to the palace entrance.

When the horse had finally stopped, Yuugi began to dismount, Anzu looked at the sights around her. The people in the large courtyard had stopped working at the sound and sight of Yuugi, and were now staring in disbelief. Anzu felt herself blush in embarrassment as she felt their gazes fall onto her.

At the top of the steps, she spotted young couple. The girl was dressed in what Anzu could only describe as some sort of Egyptian maid's outfit, whilst the man was dressed in robes of white and blue (complete with matching hat) and held a golden rod in his hand. The young man gazed down at her and Yuugi, before planting a small kiss on the girl's cheek and disappearing inside the palace. The young girl, who Anzu could see had long ginger hair, made her way down the steps.

"Anzu, are you going to come down or not?" said a voice, snapping Anzu out of her thoughts.

Anzu looked down to see Yuugi looking up at her with his big, amethyst eyes. She felt another jolt in her heart.

"Oh! Yes! Sorry."

Anzu swung her leg over and began to slide off the horse. Unfortunately for her, when her feet touched the ground, she felt herself slip and fall forward. Luckily, Yuugi managed to catch her before she hit the ground, but they now had their arms wrapped around each other, their lips only inches apart. They stayed like that for a few moments, before they both blushed and let go of each other, apologising.

"Yuugi!" said a young girl's voice.

Yuugi and Anzu turned around to see a young girl with long ginger hair approaching them, the one that was at the top of the steps with the young man.

"Yuugi, you have returned early!" the girl stated happily when she reached the couple. "Although we are all happy to see you, why have you returned so soon?"

"It's a long story," Yuugi replied. "Is Atemu here?"

"Yes. The Pharaoh is in the hall waiting for you. I must say, when my brother told him of your return he was very surprised!"

"I bet he was! Is it alright if I go and see him?"

"Yuugi, you know you need not ask. The Pharaoh would do anything for you." It was then that the young girl saw Anzu standing behind Yuugi. "And who is this?"

"This is my new friend, Anzu Mazaki. I rescued her from the desert. She's going to stay with me for a while."

"Is that wise? The Pharaoh may not allow it."

"He will," said Yuugi as he began to climb the steps. He held onto Anzu's hand, causing her to blush. "Like you said Shizuka, Atemu would do anything for me!"

And with that, the two teenagers disappeared into the palace, leaving Shizuka and the people in the courtyard to wonder what would happen next.

I-

Atemu continued to pace up and down in front of his throne, his footsteps echoing through the large stone hall. He sighed for the tenth time that afternoon and rubbed his forehead as he felt yet another headache beginning to form.

_'It can't be him,'_ he thought as he continued to pace up and down. _'It's just not possible. He isn't due back for another two months. It must be someone else…but…what Jonouchi and Honda said… about the Black Magician Girl's signal. Only one person has Black Magician Girl, and that's my other half. But still…'_

Atemu yelled out in frustration and collapsed in his stone throne, his head in his hands.

"This is all too confusing!"

"I go away for a few months and you fall to pieces? What kind of Pharaoh are you?"

Atemu looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. It sounded much like his own, only slightly lighter and higher. He felt his heart beat quicken as he looked up at the source of the voice. A large smile appeared on his face when he saw who it was…

Atemu felt himself rise out of his seat, overflowing with joy. He began to descend the stone steps that lead from his throne.

"Yuugi…"

"Long time no see, Atemu," Yuugi said jokingly as he stood by the door that led out into the corridor.

Atemu's smile grew. It was true, Yuugi was back! This was the happiest day of his life!

"Yuugi!"

Atemu ran up to Yuugi and embraced him. Yuugi, although a little surprised by the Pharaoh's actions, happily returned the hug.

"I can't believe you're back!" exclaimed Atemu. He let go of Yuugi, but still held onto his shoulders. "But why have you returned so soon?" It was then that Atemu noticed the bloody bandage around Yuugi's arm. "What is this? What happened?"

"It's nothing, really! It's just a small cut."

"It doesn't look like a small cut to me!" Atemu checked Yuugi again. He didn't seem to have any other injuries. So, how did he get this one? Atemu soon pushed this to the back of his mind and embraced Yuugi again. "It doesn't matter now anyway. You're home now. My other half has returned! I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

Atemu continued to hold onto Yuugi, not planning on letting his other half go, until a sound interrupted his thoughts.

A gasp

Atemu opened his eyes, and noticed that he and Yuugi were not the only ones in the room. Standing a few feet away was a strange brunette girl, dressed in unusual clothes that revealed far too much skin. At the sight of her, Atemu immediately let go of Yuugi, suspicious of this strange person.

"Yuugi, we are not alone," he said sternly, staring at the girl in the corner.

Yuugi turned around and saw Atemu staring straight back at Anzu. Yuugi smiled and let out a small laugh.

"Don't worry Atemu, this is my friend Anzu Mazaki. I rescued her from the desert, right Anzu?"

But Anzu didn't answer. She was in shock. There, standing right in front of her was a man that looked exactly like Yuugi. He may have different eyes and a bit more blonde in his hair than Yuugi did, they still looked exactly the same. Anzu was confused. If this man was Pharaoh Atemu, and he and Yuugi looked a like, did that mean…

"Anzu?"

Anzu was once again snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of Yuugi's voice.

"Are you OK? You seem a bit out of it."

"What…Oh! Yes, I'm OK Yuugi. I'm just a little…" she looked at Atemu, and shifted nervously, "…tired."

"Well, if you're sure you're OK." Yuugi turned back to the Pharaoh, still smiling. "Anyway, as I was saying, this is my friend Anzu. She's from a place called Domino in Japan." Yuugi turned to face Anzu. "Anzu, this is Pharaoh Atemu; Ruler of the Kingdom of Light and the keeper of the Millennium Puzzle."

"Nice to meet you," Anzu said pleasantly, now noticing the golden Millennium Puzzle hanging around the Pharaoh's neck.

Atemu wasn't so pleasant. He just continued to stare at the strange girl in front of him, his arms folded across his chest. Anzu laughed nervously as the tension in the room grew. She took a step back so she was now standing by Yuugi's side, and quickly whispered in his ear.

"Yuugi, can I ask you something?"

"Err, sure. What is it?" Yuugi whispered back. Anzu's breath tickled his ear.

"Why do you and the Pharaoh look so a like?"

"Because we're twin brothers." Yuugi simply stated.

"Oh," Anzu nodded, absorbing Yuugi's answer. Then a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Wait a minute," she said, no longer whispering. "If you two are twin brothers, and he's the Pharaoh…then that means…"

"That he is Prince Yuugi of the Kingdom of Light," Atemu replied, slightly annoyed at how dumb this girl was. He turned towards his brother. "Yuugi, you did not tell her of your heritage?"

Yuugi nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Well no…but there's a good reason why!"

Atemu tapped his foot, waiting for Yuugi's excuse. Yuugi swallowed.

"I didn't tell her because…well…because of the spies. If someone found out that I was your brother, then who knows what would have happened!"

"And the fact that you look exactly like me just happened to slip your mind?" Atemu blankly said.

Yuugi swallowed hard again. _'I'm in trouble now…'_

Atemu exhaled loudly and uncrossed his arms. "Yuugi, may I speak with you…" he looked at Anzu, "…_alone_."

"Err, sure. If that's what you want Pharaoh." Yuugi faced Anzu, a feeling of unhappiness in his heart that he had to leave Anzu. "Sorry Anzu, but you don't mind waiting outside do you?"

Anzu smiled at Yuugi, though deep down she was as unhappy as Yuugi was.

"Not at all."

Taking one last glance at Yuugi, Anzu walked towards the corridor outside the large hall, and closed the large wooden door behind her. A loud 'thud' echoed through the room. All was silent in the large hall…

"I don't trust her Yuugi," Atemu spoke suddenly after Anzu had left.

"What? But why not?" Yuugi asked. He could easily see that Anzu was trustworthy, so why didn't Atemu see the same thing?

"I just don't. There's something about her that I don't like. Not to mention the fact that she is not from our world."

"You just don't know her like I do Atemu. Maybe if you got to know her-"

"Get to know her!" Atemu yelled in an outburst. "Yuugi, she is from another world and can easily be a spy for the Empire of Dark Souls! How can you expect me to trust a complete stranger?"

"Anzu doesn't belong to the Empire of Dark Souls," Yuugi stated calmly.

"And how do you know that! Yuugi, after what has happened to us in these last few years I thought you would be more careful! How can you be certain that this girl won't kill us in our sleep and help the Empire of Dark Souls take over what is left of Kemet?"

"Because I can see the pureness inside her heart!" Yuugi shouted back. "And because of what happened when I found her!"

Atemu eyed Yuugi. He was hiding something. He spoke slowly. "Tell me what happened."

Yuugi sighed and looked up at his twin brother. "Well, I was riding through the desert, keeping an eye out for spies. I'd learnt some information at that point, and I found myself thinking about the legend of the Angel of Light. I remember wishing to myself that she would come soon, so things could go back to the way they used to be. And that's when it happened…

"There was a bright light in the sky, not too far from where I was. When the light died down, I saw something in the sand, so I decided to check it out. When I got there, I saw Anzu unconscious in the sand, her deck scattered all around her-"

"She has a deck?" Atemu interrupted, surprised at this news.

"Uh-huh," replied Yuugi, "but that's not the half of it. When I found her unconscious, she was muttering something in a completely different language. I think she called it 'Japanese'. Anyway, I went over to her and tried to wake her up, but as I did so, her crystal necklace began to glow. I couldn't just leave her in the desert so I took her to an oasis. When she finally woke up, she was speaking our language fluently."

Atemu remained silent. This was indeed a very strange story.

"But there's something else too. Whenever I'm around Anzu, I feel this aura. It's hard to describe, but it feels…pure. Did you feel it too?"

"Yes I did." Atemu replied slowly. "But I'm still not sure Yuugi. Are you sure she's not working for the Empire of Dark Souls?"

"Positive."

Atemu sighed once again. It was obvious to him that Yuugi cared about this young girl and would do anything to get her to stay. And Atemu would do anything to make his brother happy.

"All right Yuugi, you win," he sighed. "She can stay…"

"Really? Oh thank you-"

"On one condition," Atemu interrupted. Yuugi immediately stopped cheering.

_'Uh oh…'_

"You said she speaks a different language, did you not? Do you think she could read the text on the tablet?"

Yuugi gave a sigh of relief. He was expecting something a whole lot worse! "Sure, it's worth a shot. I'll go get her now."

And as Atemu watched his brother excitedly exit the room to find Anzu, he couldn't help but smile at his other half's actions.

I-

Anzu leaned back against the stonewall next to the large wooden doors that lead to the hall. The yelling that had echoed from the hall had now stopped, and Anzu could now hear the two brothers talking calming inside. 'And I beat they're talking about me.'

Anzu lifted her head and looked around her. Servants passed by in the corridor, staring and whispering and staying well away, making her feel more uncomfortable and more alone. It was just like being back at home, where she was ignored by everyone.

She self-consciously rubbed the old bandage that Yuugi had wrapped around her left hand a few days ago and found herself wishing that he were here. So much had happened to her in the last few days, it was overwhelming, but Yuugi had helped her through it. She had run away from her home and her drunken father, she had been transported to a completely different world and had experienced magic like none she'd ever seen before. She had also discovered that Yuugi was not all that he appeared to be…

She held onto her crystal necklace around her neck, and found herself thinking…

What would happen next?

Her question was soon answered

"AHH!"

Anzu held her head as a searing pain erupted in her head. As the pain intensified, just like it had done in the shrine, she began to find it difficult to breath. The pressure and pain continued to grow, and she screwed her eyes. The world around her began to blur away, and the darkness grew. Flashes appeared out of nowhere, and images began to appear once again…

_She was inside a Palace. A dark palace full of evil and hatred. From what she could tell, she was inside a large hall, but she was not alone._

_Two other men were in the room. One lay on the floor, not moving, his messy hair and clothes stained with blood. The other man stood above the dying body, laughing evilly as he brought the knife in his hand above his head. His low voice echoed through the hall._

_"Your time in this lifetime has come to an end," the voice said. It sounded evil and low._

Anzu_ tried to move but she found that she could not, for something was dragging her away. Another voice was speaking to her, pulling her back…_

"Anzu! Anzu!" the second voice called

_"It's such a shame that this had to come to an end so soon," the man with the knife spoke, bringing his knife higher._

"Anzu! Can you hear me!"

_"But now it's time to die!"_

"Anzu!"

_The man with the knife gave on last evil smile and brought the knife down to the body on the floor._

"ANZU!"

Anzu's eyes suddenly shot open. The pain and the images were gone, and she found herself lying on the floor. Next to her, she could hear Yuugi's worried voice quivering in fear.

"Yuugi?" Anzu began to sit up, and sat on her knees on the floor. She rubbed her eyes and looked up at Yuugi, and saw that he had tears in his eyes.

Tears? For her? Did he really care about her that much?

"Anzu, are you alright?" Yuugi asked, worry embedded on his face.

Anzu wondered if she should tell Yuugi about her vision. She soon decided against it.

"I…I'm fine," she finally said whilst she stood up. Yuugi stood up next to her.

"Are you sure? You look so pale. I came out to get you to see Atemu and I saw you on the floor. You were screaming and-"

"It's nothing Yuugi, really it isn't. But…thanks for your concern." Anzu looked up at the open door that led into the hall. "Did the Pharaoh want to see me or something?"

"What? Oh, yes he did, but if you're not feeling well-"

"Yuugi," said Anzu, placing a hand on Yuugi's shoulder. "I'm fine, really I am. I'm just tired from the journey. Now come on, lets go see your brother."

Yuugi, not convinced that Anzu was 'fine', decided to let it go for now. He quickly walked to her side and followed her back into the hall.

As the pair made their way to the back of the hall (Atemu was now standing behind to throne), Anzu's thoughts were on her vision.

_'What was that? It was exactly like what happened back at the shrine, but this vision was much clearer than the last. Why do they appear? And what do they mean? Is it a warning of some sort?' _She looked to her right at Yuugi as they made their way up the stone steps. _'And why do I get the feeling that this is all tied in with Yuugi?'_

Atemu stood a few feet away from where his throne sat, and looked up at the wall in front of him. The images carved into the stone had been there for thousands of years, and yet, no one had been able to decipher the text carved at the bottom. Could this girl really be able to translate it?

At the sound of footsteps behind him, Atemu turned slightly to see his other half and the girl were now at his side. He smiled at the pair.

"Thank you for coming," Atemu thanked Anzu.

"No at all, Pharaoh," Anzu replied back.

"Please, call me Atemu. Miss Mazaki, I'd like to apologise for the way I acted. I should not have been so rude to you. As a Pharaoh, I should have treated you with more respect. I hope you can forgive me."

"Apology accepted. And please, call me Anzu."

Atemu smiled and looked back up at the image he was studying earlier. "Anzu, Yuugi tells me that you are from a place called Japan. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"And you speak a completely different language, yes?" Atemu eyed Anzu suspiciously. Not matter what Yuugi said, he was still on his guard.

"That's right. Why do you ask?"

Atemu continued to stare at the image in front of him. Blinking, Anzu followed his gaze, and was shocked to see what he was looking at.

It was a large stone tablet that covered the entire back wall. Carved onto the ancient stone were images that resembled those of the ones sewn into the tapestry back at the shrine near Domino. The one that had sent her here…

It was here! All of it! Everything was on this tablet. The images of two kingdoms: one covered in a white light, and the other covered in darkness. There were also men in armour and battling in a strange desert. And there were monsters; Duel Monsters. In the sky, there was an even brighter light. A figure stood in the middle, but the face had been worn away. There was some text too at the bottom, but this time, the text remained and Anzu could easily read the Japanese symbols.

Yuugi looked up at Anzu. She seemed absorbed in the images. There was a sign of recognition on her face. "Have you seen this before?"

"Yes, I have," replied Anzu, not taking her eyes off the tablet. "I saw these images in a shrine back home. It was right before I was sent here to Kemet."

"Does that mean you can read the text at the bottom?" Yuugi asked excitedly

"Yes. I'll translate it for you." Anzu cleared her throat and spoke the four lines engraved at the bottom of the tablet…

"When the sacred items fail their task,

And the land is covered in evil's mask,

Pureness and truth must then fight,

Our fate hangs with the great Angel of Light."

"The Angel of Light!" Yuugi exclaimed

"You know about this?" Anzu asked

"Well yes. Everyone in Kemet knows about the legend of the Angel of Light. She rescued Kemet from the evil darkness three thousand years ago…"

"And it looks like she is needed again," Atemu stated, before stretching. "But it is late. You must be tired from your long journey. I'll have a room prepared for you so you may rest."

Atemu walked down the steps towards the open doors, Yuugi and Anzu following him. When they came to the door, Atemu looked down the corridor, and soon spotted who he was looking for.

"Shizuka! Could I borrow you for a minute?"

At the sound of her name, a young girl a little younger than Anzu stepped into the room. It was the same red head Yuugi had spoken to earlier.

"How may I help you, my Pharaoh?" Shizuka asked politely, bowing.

"Could you please prepare a room for our guest, Anzu Mazaki? She will be staying with us for a while."

"I have already prepared one," Shizuka smiled, winking at Yuugi.

"Thank you Shizuka. I knew I could count on you."

Shizuka bowed at the comment from her kind Pharaoh.

Yuugi walked up to Anzu and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Anzu, I need to speak with Atemu for a while, so I'm going to have to leave you. But if you need anything, anything at all, let me know OK?"

Anzu looked into Yuugi's eyes and once again felt kindness she thought she would never experience again. She was so lucky to have Yuugi as a friend, and never wanted to let him go.

"Thanks Yuugi," she said, softening her eyes and smiling gently. Yuugi smiled back.

"If you would like to follow me, Miss Mazaki," Shizuka said after a few moments of silence.

Shizuka walked out the door and began to walk down the corridor. Anzu, not wanting to get lost, quickly ran to catch up with her, waving goodbye to Yuugi and Atemu as she did. She followed the young girl up many stairs and down many corridors, passing numerous people along the way. Most of them were servants or people that worked in the palace, but every so often Anzu would see someone dressed in rich and luxurious robes, and holding a golden item…

After passing countless rooms and corridors, Shizuka finally stopped in the middle of a dead end corridor. Anzu looked around and saw only three doors.

"The one on the right is Pharaoh Atemu's chamber," Shizuka said in her soft voice. "And the one on the left his Prince Yuugi's." She then pointed to the third door directly in front of them. "That one there is your room. I have already run a bath for you so that you may clean yourself, and I have felt some robes out for you. I will return later to collect your clothes so that they may be cleaned."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," said Anzu, surprised at the young girl's hospitality.

"It's not trouble at all Miss Mazaki. Enjoy your stay." And with that, Shizuka disappeared down the hall.

Anzu stood alone in the corridor for a moment, before slowly walking towards the door Shizuka had pointed out for her. Carefully, she opened the wooden door, and amazed at the room inside.

The large room-complete with balcony and large bathroom-was decorated with the finest stone, including a marble floor. The room was filled with all sorts of luxurious and expensive furniture and decorations, including a queen-sized four-poster bed. This was nothing like anything Anzu had seen back at home.

Spotting the clean robes placed on the bed, and smelling the rich aromas of the incense placed in the bath in the next room, Anzu quickly stripped out of her dirty clothes, placing her Duel Monsters deck under her pillow and leaving her crystal necklace on. She pulled on one of the robes and walked into the bathroom. The sight of the large swimming pool sized bath took her breath away, and she immediately took off the robe and jumped in.

The water was warm, and smelt of vanilla. Anzu stayed there in the water, letting it flow over her tired body, relaxing in the warmth. Thoughts rushed through her mind, and she soon found herself thinking of her mother again.

_'I miss her so much. I wish she was here with me now.'_

All too soon, the water went from warm to cold, and Anzu was forced to get out. Drying herself off and pulling back on the robe, the soft fabric brushing against her clean, vanilla scented skin, Anzu suddenly felt a wave of tiredness wash over her. Walking back out into the bedroom, she saw that Shizuka had already been and gone, taking her clothes to be washed and leaving a tray of food on a dressing table near the bed. But Anzu was too tired for food, and after making sure she still had her necklace and her deck, she fell onto the comfortable bed and instantly fell asleep, hoping for sweet dreams…

…Unfortunately, our hopes and wishes don't always comes true…

I-

"So, the Empire of Dark Souls is closer that we thought?" Atemu asked his brother, seated in his throne.

"Yes," replied Yuugi, standing next to his brother. They were still in the hall and were discussing Yuugi's mission. "When I was on my mission, I found a lot of information. The Empire is taking over more land faster than we thought they were, and their army is getting stronger everyday. In fact, some of them attacked Anzu and I when I brought her back to the oasis. That's how I got this injury and that's why I came back. Atemu, we're running out of time! The Empire of Dark Souls will complete their Enchantment of Unholiness if we don't do something!"

Atemu clenched his fists in rage. "There's nothing much we can do, not until we find the Angel of Light. She is the only one who can save us now."

Yuugi looked up at the stone tablet behind Atemu. _'Atemu's right, we do need the Angel of Light, and fast. Things are getting worse and we need her. Maybe Anzu can help us. The stories do say that the Angel comes from another world. Does that mean that Anzu is the Angel? But if she is, what will happen to her? I don't want to lose her, not now…'_

I-

Isolated on the other side of Kemet, lay a Kingdom. A dark Kingdom. The sand was black, constantly stained with evil. The sky was always dark, and lightning lit up the sky during the vast storms that hit this land. This was the Empire of Dark Souls, and everyday, their darkness grew…

Perched on a hill, shrouded in a dark blanket, was an old castle. This was where the ruler and leader of the Empire lived, hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to appear…

"So, the Pharaoh and his brother have a new friend, do they?" Spoke a cold, gravel, male voice. The man looked from where he was seated in his throne in the middle of the hall, and looked down at his followers below. They all wore dark robes to hide their faces and prove their loyalty to him alone. Looking round at the hall he smiled at the large army he had formed in only a few years.

At his feet, two men kneeled before him. Like the others, they wore only black, but their robes had been burnt by the Prince of the Kingdom of Light and his dragon, and their bodies had been badly damaged. One man's face had been burnt completely down his right side.

"Tell me," their leader spoke calmly, "what does she look like?"

"We didn't get a good look at her because of the Prince and his bloody dragon," the man with the burnt face spoke. He adored his master and would do anything for him, but was always nervous when in his presence. And with reason, for their leader would do anything to rule the entirety of Kemet, even if it meant killing every last man, including them.

"What we did see," the second man spoke, "was that she had brown hair. There was an aura around her, none like we've ever felt." He swallowed, hard. "She has arrived, sire.

A flash of lightning struck through the air, it's light briefly shinning into the hall and illuminating the master's white hair. His grip around his secret weapon tightened.

"Perfect," he smiled. " At long last my plan can finally begin, and Kemet will be mine! That idiotic Pharaoh and weakling brother will die at the hands of their so called saviour, and I'll finally take my rightful place as ruler of this world!"

I-

To be continued…


	5. Revealing the Past

Man, these last few weeks have been really hectic. So many things to do, so little time to do them all! But I have managed to spare some time to write the next instalment of 'Another World'.

And now, to thank the wonderful reviewers:

**Jessiejames**

**trekker4life**

**anime-ruthless v.1**

**me**

**JMeg**

**xXR.I.PXx**

**sugarontop1**

Thank you all so much! Your reviews really make my day

_'Thoughts'_

"Speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Long live Peachshipping!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 5: Revealing the Past

-I-

_"Well, go on then. Open it."_

_The 6-year-old girl looked down at the beautifully wrapped box on her lap, then back up at her mother, seated in front of her. Her blue eyes sparkled as the street lamps rushed by outside in the night. She brushed some of her short, brown hair away from her face._

_"Is this really for me?" the young girl asked_

_Her mother smiled and laughed lightly as the car stopped at the red traffic lights._

_"Well of course silly. Who else would I give this to? It's not like your father needs it, right honey?"_

_The young girl's father, seated in the driving seat, swiftly changed gear as the traffic lights changed to green and drove down the long empty road. He laughed at his wife's question as they continued to drive down the road next to the river. The water sparkled in the moonlight. Without taking his eyes off the road, he answered._

_"No, I don't think I'd have any use for it. But you know dear, you spoil her too much."_

_"Oh don't be silly honey! I don't spoil her, do I Anzu?"_

_Anzu looked up at her mother and beamed. She held onto the crystal necklace around her neck._

_"Nope, you don't. And I take very good care of all my presents."_

_"I know you do," Anzu's mother said, still smiling. "You've taken very good care of that necklace I gave you. Now, open up your present! I want to see your reaction!"_

_Anzu smiled up at her mother, before carefully beginning to unwrap the beautiful, baby pink paper her mother had used. Moving the paper to the side once it was removed, Anzu slowly lifted up the lid of the box, her hands shaking in excitement. When she saw what was inside, she squealed with joy. Her hands shaking with excitement, she carefully took out the contents of the box._

_"Wow…" Anzu gasped as she looked at her brand new deck of Duel Monster cards. She flicked through them and read each card: 'Shinning Friendship', 'Ancient Elf', 'Fire Sorcerer', 'Maha Vailo'(1), these cards weren't bad._

_"These are so pretty! Thank you mummy! Thank you daddy!"_

_Anzu's mother smiled down at her daughter, glad that Anzu loved her gift so much._

_"You're welcome darling…darling…darling…"_

_Anzu looked up at the sound of her mother's voice fading away, and felt a cold chill run through her body. She suddenly found herself surrounded by darkness. A small scream escaped her small lips. The car she had just been in had disappeared, as had her mother and father._

_"Mummy?…Daddy?…" She called out into the darkness, her voice echoing through the void._

_"Anzu," a distant voice answered behind her._

_A now 16-year-old Anzu turned round and saw her mother in the distance. She looked sad, and a tear rolled down her cheek._

_"Mum?" Anzu called out again_

_But this time her mother didn't answer her. Instead, she looked down at the floor, and started to fade away, the darkness absorbing her body and taking her away from her only daughter._

_Panicking as she saw her mother disappearing, Anzu tried to run after her._

_"Wait! Mum! Don't go!" She extended her hand towards her mother in hopes of reaching her in time…_

_…But she was too late…_

_Just as Anzu was about to reach her mother, she disappeared completely. Anzu suddenly stopped running, the sadness she had experienced as a child once again building up inside of her._

_"Mum…"_

_A faint light appeared around her neck._

_Suddenly, the darkness began to change. Shapes started appearing out of the blackness, and Anzu found herself in a completely different place. The walls and floor that appeared were black and dark. A dark stone throne appeared in the middle of the floor. A storm erupted outside in the dark sky as two figures appeared before Anzu. One was on the floor, covered in blood, and the second stood above the first, a bloody knife in his hand._

_"Oh no," Anzu gasped, "not this…"_

_"Your time in this lifetime has come to an end," the first figure said, his voice low and gravel. Anzu immediately knew that this was a man, but who was he?_

_The second man tried to stand up, but found his could not due to his horrific injuries._

_"Please…no…" the man begged. His voice was lighter than the first man's, and even though it sounded weak, it was familiar to the young teen watching the horrifying scenes before her._

_"It's such a shame that this had to come to an end so soon," the man with the knife spoke, bringing his knife higher._

_"Please…"_

_"But now it's time to die!"_

_The man with the knife gave one last evil smile and brought the knife down to the body on the floor. A bloody curdling scream filled them room._

"AHHHH!"

Anzu suddenly awoke in bed, her breath heavy and fast, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. Her head ached as the pain from another vision began to subside. Her body shook with fear as the fresh images replayed in her mind. The scream still filled her ears.

"W-what…what happened?" she spoke to herself, her voice shaking. "I-it felt so…so real. I…I don't want to be alone…not again…not-"

"Anzu!" screamed a voice, running into the room. The door gave a loud 'bang' as it was thrown against the wall.

Anzu looked up and saw a distressed looking Yuugi running into the room towards her. As he came closer and closer towards her bed, Anzu felt her emotions beginning to build up inside of her.

Within a few seconds Yuugi was beside Anzu's bed. He had been in his room when he had heard her scream, and immediately knew something was wrong. Even though he had only known her a few days, he knew she always screamed like that whenever she had some sort of a bad dream. Although she never told him what her dreams were about, he had a fair idea.

_'She's had a dream about her past again,' _he thought as he stood by Anzu's bed.

"Anzu, are you ok?" he asked in his soft voice. Worry was once again embedded on his face.

"Yuugi…" Anzu answered in a whisper, before collapsing into his arms. She buried her head into his chest as tears of fear started falling down her cheek.

Yuugi was a little surprised by Anzu's sudden actions and found his cheeks were burning with embarrassment. But as he looked down at Anzu's shaken form, he soon forgot about being embarrassed. She looked scared, innocent, like a little child. Like a parent to their child, Yuugi felt the urge to help her, and held Anzu close to him. He stroked her hair softly as he tried to comfort her and calm her down.

"Shh…" he hushed as he smiled down at the young girl.

"Oh Yuugi!" Anzu cried, clinging onto Yuugi's clothes. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "It was horrible! I was so scared and alone!"

"It's ok. I'm here. You're not alone any more…"

"I don't want to be alone Yuugi! I don't want to!" She held onto Yuugi tighter than before, never letting go. "Promise you won't leave me!"

"I promise I'll never leave you Anzu. You'll never be alone again…"

-I-

The 'Master' of the Empire of Dark Souls sat in silence as he watched the scene before him, his head resting on his left hand. His 'secret weapon' was placed in his right hand, projecting the images of Prince Yuugi cradling the scared brunette girl in her room. He smiled as he watched them.

"So, this girl has had a troubled past?" he said to no one in particular. His 'secret weapon' allowed him to look into people's minds and souls and experience their memories and dreams. The 'Master' had looked into Anzu's mind and learnt everything there was to know about her.

"We may be able to use these dreams and visions of hers for our own good." He tapped his 'secret weapon' twice, causing the images before him to disappear. He looked down at his followers below him. "Send out unit A to keep an eye on her."

"Unit A?" one of his followers asked. "Are you sure, sire?"

"Yes. We need someone to keep a close eye on her, and Unit A has been trained for this type of mission. Now, inform them of their mission: phase two is about to begin."

Two guards stepped forward and bowed, before leaving the dark hall.

-I-

Yuugi continued to hold Anzu, stroking her hair and speaking softly to calm her down. Anzu in turn continued to hold onto Yuugi, thankful he was there. After a while, the tears started to die away and her shoulders stopped shaking with emotion and fear. After a few silent moments, Anzu slowly began to sit up, letting go of Yuugi. She was still a little shaken up, but thanks to Yuugi she was feeling much better.

"Are you OK now Anzu?" Yuugi asked.

Anzu wiped the remaining tears away with her sleeve. "Yes, I'm OK. Thanks Yuugi."

She looked up at the young Prince and saw he was dressed in the finest clothes a person could afford in Kemet: a white tunic made out of expensive white cloth with a red band down the middle, with a matching dark red cape wrapped around his neck. His body was decorated with golden armbands and rings, and on his head was a small crown that had been especially made to fit around his unique hair. On his feet he were a beautiful pair of sandals and around his neck hung his eye-shaped pendant (2). In the early morning sun, he truly did look like a Prince.

"Listen Anzu," said Yuugi, sitting on the edge of Anzu's bed. He looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

Today was Anzu's second full day in Illuminarta. Yesterday, Yuugi had been with Atemu all day and had been unable to see Anzu. Therefore, Anzu had spent the day with Shizuka, being given a tour of the castle in which she was staying. Although she had enjoyed the tour and had gotten to know a little bit about Shizuka, she had missed Yuugi. And even though Shizuka seemed nice, Yuugi was the only person Anzu really trusted at the moment. After all, he _did_ save her life.

"I tried to come and see you," Yuugi continued, "but Atemu insisted that I stay with him. True we were discussing some important things, but I wasn't needed for all of them. I guess he just missed me a lot and didn't want me to leave his side! But still, I feel really guilty."

"You shouldn't feel guilty, Yuugi," said Anzu, her voice a little croaky from screaming. "I know how important family is."

"But I do feel guilty," Yuugi pleaded, looking up at Anzu. He jumped off the bed as an idea popped into his head. "And that's why I want to make it up to you."

Anzu tilted her head to the side in confusion and blinked.

"You see," Yuugi continued, "Atemu and I, and a few other people, are going on a small trip today to a nearby oasis. It's nothing special, but I was hoping you would come along with us."

"Me?" Anzu asked pointing to herself.

"Of course, silly!" giggled Yuugi. "So, what do you say? Would you rather stay here all day, or would you like to go out and about?"

Anzu thought for a moment. To stay inside, or to go outside. The answer was obvious!

"Well, if it's no problem, I'd like to go to the oasis with you…and Atemu!" Anzu added quickly.

Yuugi smiled up at her. "Great! I'll go tell Atemu. Serenity will be up here soon with some food, and then she'll take you down to the courtyard. She's coming with us by the way."

Anzu nodded as she understood Yuugi's instructions. Yuugi smiled up at Anzu before making his way to the door, Anzu watching him as he left. As he opened the large wooden door, he turned back to face her.

"Oh! Before I forget, bring your deck with you just in case, and wear something suitable for riding a horse. I'll be in the courtyard with Atemu. I'll see you down there soon!"

"Bye Yuugi!" Anzu called as Yuugi disappeared through the door, closing it softly behind him. As soon as Yuugi was gone, Anzu jumped out of bed with excitement.

Grabbing her bag from beside her bed, Anzu tipped it upside down and allowed her clothes to fall onto the bed. She spread them out neatly and looked at what she had packed.

_'OK, Yuugi said to where something suitable for riding a horse,' _she thought. '_I guess that excludes my skirts.' _She rummaged through her clothes. '_OK, I really need to buy some new clothes.'_

She continued to rummage, trying to decide what to wear, when her eyes caught sight of something pink under a black skirt. She lifted up the item of clothing and examined it. After a few moments, she smiled.

"This is perfect!" she exclaimed!

Pulling her night dress/tunic over her head and pulling on clean undergarments, Anzu quickly dressed herself with her chosen outfit: Pink shorts with a matching pink jacket, a yellow top underneath, black stockings and high pink shoes _(3)_. It wasn't the best thing to wear for riding a horse, but Anzu only owned a few pairs of shorts.

Once she was dressed, she brushed her hair and looked herself over in the mirror.

_'Not bad, if I do say so myself!'_

After quickly checking herself over, making sure she looked OK, Anzu walked back over to her bed and lifted up her pillow. Seeing that her Duel Monster cards were still here, she picked them up and placed them in her pocket. As she did so, someone knocked at the door.

"Come in!" Anzu called, curious to see who was knocking at her door. It wasn't as if she had that many friends in this world. In fact, the only friends she seemed to have at the moment were Yuugi and Atemu (though she wasn't too sure about Atemu).

The door creaked open and in stepped a young female carrying a tray of food. Her long hair swung side to side as she walked towards Anzu and her face bore a cheerful smile.

"Good morning, Miss Mazaki," the girl greeted. She placed the tray of food down on a small table near the bed.

"Good morning, Shizuka," Anzu greeted the young girl back. She looked down at the food. "Is this all for me?"

"Yes miss. I advise that you eat a lot, for we have quite a day ahead of us." Shizuka turned around and headed towards the open door. "I will wait outside until you have finished. When you are ready, we will go down to the courtyard together."

Anzu nodded as Shizuka stepped outside. She looked down at the luxurious food placed next to her and felt herself drool. Her stomach growled in hunger.

"Well, best not to let it go to waste!"

Placing herself onto the bed, Anzu happily helped herself to the delicious food, enjoying every second of it. Taking sips of fresh fruit juice between mouthfuls of food, she quickly finished her breakfast of freshly baked bread and fresh fruit. Her stomach satisfied, Anzu stood up and walked out the room, making sure she had her crystal necklace and Duel Monsters deck with her.

Shizuka smiled as Anzu walked into the corridor and gave a small bow, before walking down the corridor. Anzu followed her, not wanting to get lost in the palace like she had done yesterday. As they walked past numerous rooms and down many corridors, the two girls past servants and maids that worked in the palace and were completing their morning routines. Anzu felt uncomfortable as each person they past stopped what jobs they were doing and stared at her, the occasional few whispering to the person next to them.

As the pair turned another corner, Anzu noticed something. Since she had arrived at the palace two days ago, almost everyone had been suspicious of her and had kept their distance. But Shizuka, as she noticed, did not act like everyone else. Instead of looking at Anzu with disgust, she treated her with respect, as she would with any other human being. Although Anzu liked this, she couldn't help but wonder why.

"Erm…Shizuka…can I ask you something?" Anzu ventured.

"What is it, Miss Mazaki?" Shizuka asked, continuing down the hall.

"Well, I was just wondering…most people in the palace seem to suspect me of something and stay away from me. But…you and Yuugi…well, you don't. It's like you both trust me. I was wondering why."

Shizuka turned to her right and walked towards the entrance to the courtyard.

"I do not suspect you because there in nothing to suspect. You are trustworthy, and both Yuugi and I can see that. It will only be a matter of time before everyone else can see the good in you. I like you Anzu, and I know that you are a very kind and caring person."

"Oh…" Anzu said, touched by Shizuka's words. She stopped in the archway that led to the courtyard. "Hey, Shizuka…"

Shizuka sensed Anzu had stopped behind and turned around, stopping herself. "What is it, Miss Mazaki?"

"Please, call me Anzu," Anzu smiled, before extending her hand. "'Miss Mazaki' is too formal for friends."

Shizuka looked down at Anzu's hand and smiled. She took Anzu's hand in her own and gave it a little shake. Both girl's giggled at the start of a newfound friendship.

"What are you girls laughing about?" asked a familiar voice.

The two girls let go of each other's hand and looked up at the source of the voice. Prince Yuugi stood just in front of them, his arms crossed across his chest, a curious look in his eyes.

"It's nothing Yuugi! Really!" Anzu answered, before she and Shizuka giggled again.

Yuugi eyed them curiously. "You two are up to something…"

"Yuugi!" called a low voice. "Are you coming or not?"

"We'll be right there Atemu!" Yuugi called back to his brother. He turned back to Anzu and looked her over.

"You look nice Anzu," he commented.

"Oh…thanks Yuugi!" Anzu thanked, a small blush appearing on her cheeks.

"You ready to go?"

"Yup!"

Yuugi led Anzu and Shizuka down the stone steps to the courtyard, where numerous horses and people had gathered and were preparing for the trip. Shizuka separated herself from the group to help with the preparations, leaving Anzu and Yuugi together. Yuugi continued to lead Anzu through the courtyard, dodging people and horses here and there, until they stopped where Atemu stood with a group of people. Standing behind the young Pharaoh, were eight people, all standing in a line. Two men, who were dressed in what Anzu could only describe as a guard's attire, stood closest to Atemu. The other six people-five men and a woman-were all dressed in pure white robes and held similar golden object that resembled the Millennium Puzzle.

"Anzu, I'd like to introduce you to some people," Yuugi said, stepping towards the two guards first. He stood by the guard with different shades of brown hair and a stern face. "This is Hiroto Honda…"

"Pleased to meet you," Honda bowed in response.

"…and this is Katsuya Jonouchi, Shizuka's older brother," Yuugi continued, pointing to a young blonde male.

"Welcome to the Kingdom of Light," the blonde named Jonouchi said, bowing slightly to the new arrival.

"These," said Pharaoh Atemu, stepping forward, "are the two best guards in the whole of Kemet."

"Aww!" said Honda, slightly embarrassed. "We're not _that _good Pharaoh!"

Yuugi smiled up at his friends, before walking a few steps to the remaining six people.

"And these our the six Priests of Kemet and the keepers of the Millennium Items. This is Priest Mahado, keeper of the Millennium Ring…"

The Priest named Mahado bowed and greeted Anzu, his Millennium Item shinning around his neck.

"…this is Priest Seto, keeper of the Millennium Rod…"

"Welcome," greeted Seto, and he too bowed. The Millennium Rod glowed in the morning sunlight as he held it in his hand.

Yuugi went along the line and introduced each Priest, stating which Millennium Item they possessed. In turn, the six Priests all bowed to the Prince's guest and greeted her kindly.

"…Priest Akunadin, keeper of the Millennium Eye…Priest Shada, keeper of the Millennium Key…Priest Karim, keeper of the Millennium Scales…and finally, Priest Isis, keeper of the Millennium Necklace."

"Nice to meet you all," Anzu said cheerfully. She had no idea magic and religion played such an important part in Kemet. She was amazed by it all.

"Well, now that that's done," said Atemu, climbing up onto his white horse. "Shall we leave?"

The six Priest's bowed to their Pharaoh and Prince, before they too climbed onto their horses of brown and black. Jonouchi and Honda doubled checked that everything was safe, before they climbed up onto their two black horses. Yuugi was one of the last to mount his white horse, and once he was up, he extended his hand to Anzu and helped her up. Shizuka was last, choosing to sit with Priest Seto rather than her brother. Yuugi laughed as he saw Jonouchi's angry reaction to this. Jonouchi had never liked Priest Seto.

The group moved forward, taking up their positions. Atemu and Yuugi placed their horses at the front, Jonouchi and Honda at either side. Behind them, Priests' Shada, Isis and Karim placed themselves in a row. In the third row at the back, Priests' Mahado, Seto and Akunadin placed themselves in position.

Once everyone was ready, Atemu nudged his horse and pulled on the reins, and started galloping ahead. The rest of the group followed their Pharaoh's lead, and soon the large group were racing through the streets of the city, turning sharp corners here and there, before they reached the gates that guarded the city. The large doors opened before them and they raced out into the desert, towards their destination.

As they raced through the desert sand, the sun beating down on them, Anzu cursed herself for wearing such short shorts, for her legs were rubbing against the horses back painfully. She looked over at Shizuka and Priest Isis, who were both riding side-saddled.

_'Maybe I should have done that.'_

The group continued to ride out into the desert, leaving a cloud of dust and tracks in the sand. All was silent, except for the horses' hooves as they galloped on. The mood changed as they rode further away from the city and came closer and closer to their destination. The silence made Anzu feel nervous. No one was talking. Not a single word was uttered.

_'Why are they all so quiet? And why is there a hint of sadness in the air?'_

Soon Anzu spotted an oasis ahead of them, and guessed that was where they were heading. As they approached the small grassy area, the group remained silent, no smiles on their faces, no sparks of joy in their eyes.

All too soon they arrived. Pharaoh Atemu was the first to dismount his horse and tied him to a nearby palm tree, before making his way to a small, clear area in the middle of the small oasis. Jonouchi, Honda and the six Priests all followed, tying their horses to palm trees so that their horses may feed on the grass and drink from the small pool of water. Yuugi quickly slid off his horse, helping Anzu down once he had dismounted, before running to his brother's side.

Anzu started to follow Yuugi to the small area, before a gentle hand held onto her shoulder and stopped her.

"No Anzu," came Shizuka's voice. "We have to stay here."

Anzu turned around to face the young girl. "But why? What are they doing?"

"Today is the anniversary of the death of Pharaoh Atemu's and Prince Yuugi's father," Honda said in a sad voice, as he and Jonouchi walked towards the pair.

"Two years today," said Jonouchi in the same sad tone. "It's sad how quickly these past few years have gone by."

"Two years since their parents…died?" Anzu asked. She turned around and looked at the two brothers and the Priests. She could now see them all clearly standing around two gravestones. Simultaneously, the group kneeled in front of the stones and began their ritual.

_'So much for nothing special.'_

"What are they doing?" Anzu asked as chanting could be heard from the large group.

"They're praying to the former Pharaoh and his Queen," Honda answered. He looked over at the now silent Jonouchi. _'He must be praying for _her_.'_

Jonouchi, Honda, Shizuka and Anzu watched in silence from a distance as the large group in front of them performed their ritual. Chants were sung, prayers were said, and flowers were laid. Everything seemed to pass by in a blur. Throughout this sad ceremony, Atemu and Yuugi held each other close. Two years may have passed since their parents' death, but for the young teens, the wounds were still fresh in their hearts.

Soon, the ritual was complete, and as Atemu said his final words to his parents, Yuugi felt himself crack. He may be the same age as his brother, but he was only slightly younger than him by a few minutes, and found it the hardest to let his grief go. Just as Atemu was finishing off, Yuugi walked off, unable to take it anymore. He disappeared deeper into the oasis.

Anzu, who had seen Yuugi's reaction, slowly walked away from the group she was with, who had now closed their eyes and were saying their own prayers. She walked up the small slope towards the oasis and followed in Yuugi's footsteps. Brushing a few branches out of the way as she walked through the trees, she looked for Yuugi. It didn't take her long to find him.

He was sitting in a second clearing, right in the middle of the oasis. He sat on a fallen tree, his head buried in his hands. As Anzu walked over towards him, she could hear the occasional sob from the young Prince. She kneeled on the ground in front of him and tried to make eye contact.

"Yuugi?" she asked, looking up into his amethyst eyes. They were no longer bright and cheerful. Instead, all they showed was grief.

Yuugi let out a few small sobs before speaking.

"Two years," he said, his voice breaking with emotion. "Two years since the Empire of Dark Souls attacked us for the first time. Two years since they died. But it still feels like yesterday. I was only fourteen then, but I can still remember what happened…"

-Flashback-

_"Come on Yuugi! Bet you can't catch me!"_

_A fourteen-year-old Yuugi looked up from the ground at his twin brother and watched him as he ran around the royal garden. The afternoon sun shone down on the two Princes as their game continued._

_"I bet I can!" Yuugi called back, before standing up and chasing his twin. _

_Laughing, Atemu ducked behind a tree as he heard Yuugi coming after him. He hid himself, hoping that his other half wouldn't figure out where he was. Unfortunately for him, there was only one tree big enough in the garden for him to hide behind, and Yuugi had spotted his hair sticking out at the side._

_Slowly and quietly, he crept up towards the tree. Atemu tried his best to stay silent, as he tried to listen out for any footsteps. He heard none, until…_

_"Got you!" Yuugi shouted as he suddenly tackled his brother. Atemu gave out a small yelp as Yuugi suddenly pushed him to the ground and starting wrestling him._

_"Told you I could!" Yuugi said proudly as he restrained Atemu._

_Atemu laughed up at his twin. "Yes, you definitely proved me-"_

_BANG!_

_"AHH!"_

_Both brothers suddenly froze and the sound of the large explosion. Screams could be heard from outside the palace. More explosions could now be heard from the city. Yuugi spotted smoke rising into the sky._

_"What's going on?" Yuugi asked his brother as he allowed him to get up._

_Atemu quickly dusted himself off. "I'm not sure. It sounds like we're under attack! But who-"_

_"NOOO!" Screamed a low voice from just outside the palace walls._

_"Father!" Both Yuugi and Atemu screamed at the familiar voice, before running towards one of the lookout towers at the back of the garden. As they raced towards the post, more shouts, screams and explosions could be heard outside the walls. Someone was attacking Illuminarta, but who? And why?_

_The twins reached the tower, only to find it was empty. As they looked out at the city before them, they were shocked to discover who-or what- was attacking them._

_Duel Monsters, both in the sky and on the ground, attacked their great city, destroying buildings and lives. Buildings were on fire, parts of the wall that was supposed to protect them had been demolished in a matter of minutes, the palace was badly damaged, and bodies littered the floor._

_Yuugi and Atemu searched for their father amongst the ciaos. They saw the keepers of the Millennium Items using their powers to summon up monsters to protect them, but it wasn't working. As soon as the monsters attacked, they disappeared._

_"What's going on!" Atemu shouted in outrage. "Why aren't the monster's protecting us? Is something wrong with the Millennium Items?"_

_"Atemu! Look!" Yuugi cried, pointing to the entrance to the palace. Atemu followed his brother's gaze, letting out a small gasp when he was the scene in front of him._

_Their father was kneeling on the ground, cradling a woman's body in his arms. He seemed to be crying as he tried to wake up to woman in his arms. But the woman would not move. Burns were just visible on her body. _

_"…Is that…?" Yuugi said before he broke off._

_"…Mother…" Atemu whispered as he recognised the still body of their beloved mother. His mother was gone, and she was never coming back. He held his brother close to him as they both began to cry._

_"NOOOOO!" Their father screamed in agony from the floor, yelling out into the sky. The young Princes watched as a golden glow appeared around their father. Placing the body of his wife gently down on the floor, he stood up and walked towards the monsters that were attacking the city._

_"What is he doing?" Yuugi asked with fear as he watched his father. The aura around him grew and grew and the Millennium Puzzle around his neck glowed as brightly as the sun._

_As Atemu watched his father, he suddenly realised what he was doing._

_"He's going to sacrifice himself to save us!" Atemu shouted. "FATHER! PLEASE! DON'T DO IT!"_

_But Atemu was too far away for his father to hear. The two brothers could only watch as their father was absorbed by a blinding glow. The light grew and grew, hiding the monsters and covering the entire city with its warmth. Un-human screams could be heard as the light intensified. Suddenly the screams stopped, and the light began to die down. Atemu and Yuugi looked for their father, hoping that he was all right. They soon spotted him, lying still on the floor, the Millennium Puzzle no longer glowing…_

-End Flashback-

"…So, after my mother was attacked by one of the monsters," Yuugi continued, "my father let his emotions control him. He sacrificed himself to save us all. After that battle, Atemu was made Pharaoh and has ruled the Kingdom of Light since. On this day every year, and on ours and our parents' birthdays, we visit the place where we buried them together. They had always liked this oasis, and we thought it was best to let them rest here."

Anzu, who was now sitting on the fallen tree next to Yuugi, wrapped her arm around him and rubbed his back in comfort.

"I know it's already been two years, but the wounds are still fresh. I can't let my grief go." Yuugi buried his head back in his hands. "I miss them so much."

Anzu gently pulled Yuugi closer to her, still softly rubbing his back.

"I know how you feel, Yuugi," she sad, staring out at the palm trees in front of her. She heard a branch snap in the distance. She looked up, but saw and heard nothing else. She focused her attention back onto Yuugi. "My mother died ten years ago, but to me, it still feels like yesterday. Even though I don't remember much from the accident, I still have memories of my mother, and I know she'll always be in my heart, just like your parents are in your heart."

Yuugi looked up at Anzu, tears still in his eyes. "In…in my heart?"

"That's right! No matter how much time passes, you never forget someone you love. They'll stay in your heart forever and will always be with you."

Yuugi gave a weak smile, before tilting his head downwards. Closing his eyes and still smiling slightly, he wiped away his tears.

"Thank you Anzu," he said softly, as the pair stayed in their sanctuary, feeling safe and secure in each other's presence.

-I-

"Did you have to step on that branch?" Priest Mahado asked in annoyance.

Honda bowed slightly at the powerful Priest and Pharaoh Atemu as they remained hidden in the trees. He laughed nervously as they gave him an angry glare.

"I'm sorry!" he apologised, whispering so no one but them could hear him. "I didn't see it! But they didn't notice we're here, so we're safe, right?"

Both Pharaoh Atemu and Priest Mahado slapped their foreheads and sighed. Their patience with Honda was running out…again.

"Yes, luckily they didn't seem to notice," said Atemu, quickly stealing a glance at the people they were watching. "But just make sure it doesn't happen again."

Honda stood up straight and saluted. "Yes sir! Won't happen again, sir!"

Atemu and Mahado both sighed heavily. Honda may be one of the best guards in Kemet, but that didn't mean he was intelligent. Oh, Honda wasn't stupid or dumb, but he wasn't the smartest of people. Pushing aside their little 'problem', they went back to the job at hand: keeping an eye on Yuugi and Anzu. They watched them very closely from behind the palm trees, never taking their eyes off them.

Honda came to their side, still making sure he was hidden behind a tree. Much like many others in the Kingdom of Light, he did not fully trust Anzu. She was not one of them, and whenever she entered a room, a strange aura could be felt. She wasn't normal, if you could call the people of Kemet 'normal'. But as he watched the pair, a strange feeling came over him, and a nagging thought came into his head. Something didn't feel right to him…

…Something was missing…

He looked around the small area they were in, making sure he remained as silent as a mouse, and soon figured who was missing from their little group.

"Err…Pharaoh…have you seen Jou?" Honda asked carefully, not wanting to anger the Pharaoh any more.

Atemu looked up at this strange question. The answer was obvious, Jonouchi was right there with them. But as he looked around their small area, he noticed their hot-headed blonde friend was indeed not there. He had disappeared.

"Strange," commented Priest Mahado as he too looked around. "Young Jonouchi was here only a moment ago."

"I'll go look for him," Honda announced. "There's no need for three of us to be here." And with that, Honda (carefully and quietly) took off in search of his best friend.

As Atemu watched him leave, he hoped Jonouchi had done nothing reckless again. Sighing once again, he turned back to watch Yuugi and Anzu. They were now talking quietly, and sitting a little too close. It took all the strength Atemu had to stop him from jumping out of his hiding place and dragging Yuugi away, sending Anzu to the Shadow Realm and-

"You still don't trust her, do you?" Priest Mahado asked, quietly so Yuugi and Anzu would not hear him.

"No, I don't," Atemu replied. "She is from a completely different world and can easily be working for the Empire of Dark Souls. How can I trust her so quickly?"

"Prince Yuugi does."

Atemu eyed Mahado curiously. "…And?…"

"Pharaoh, will you disagree with you other half?"

Atemu should have expected this question. Since the say they were born, Atemu and Yuugi had always agreed with each other. They hardly ever argued. The argument they had the other day when Yuugi had returned was the first fight they had ever had. He exhaled loudly, closing his eyes and smiling.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but yes, I disagree with my other half. I don't trust her like he does."

"There's a first time for everything…" Mahado joked.

"We should keep an eye on her, just in case-"

"Pharaoh Atemu!" Honda's voice urgently shouted from a distance. "You had better come over here!"

Mahado and Atemu looked at each other, before nodding in agreement. Reluctantly, they left their post, sneaking one last quick glance at the couple. They made their way through the maze of trees until they made it out at the edge of the oasis. They soon spotted Honda standing with four of the other Priest, all watching something happening below in the desert.

"What seems to be the problem?" Atemu asked as he made his way over. The Priests and Honda bowed as the Pharaoh made his way over, before answering.

"We are sorry to disturb you, my Pharaoh," Isis apologised, "but it is about young Jonouchi."

"Jonouchi?" Atemu asked. "What do you mean by-"

"Let…me…GO!" Jonouchi's voice shouted from below.

Atemu and Mahado looked down at the scene below them. Both of them knew what to expect, after all Jonouchi had done something like this before. But they were still a little surprised to see him being restrained by his sister Shizuka and Priest Seto in the desert sand.

"Big brother, calm down!" Shizuka begged her older brother, standing in front of him.

"I can't! They're out there, I saw them!" Jonouchi shouted. Emotions burned inside of him. He just wanted to break free and find her.

"That doesn't mean she's out there!" Shizuka cried, reading her brother's thoughts like an open book.

"Yes she IS!"

"Jonouchi, listen to your sister!" Priest Seto ordered, restraining Jonouchi by the arms. "There are only two of them! She's not there!"

"YES SHE IS!" Jonouchi snapped back, unable to control his emotions.

"What are they talking about?" Atemu asked Priest Isis as Jonouchi continued to try and break free below.

"We recently spotted two scouts from the Empire of Dark Souls out in the desert," Priest Isis answered, pointing to the horizon. "We tried to stop Jonouchi from seeing them, but unfortunately, he did."

"And now he thinks that she's out there, right?" said Atemu.

"Correct."

"Hey! Atemu!" called a voice behind them.

The Pharaoh turned around at the sound of his name and saw his twin brother and the young girl running towards him. Atemu tried to ignore Anzu as best he could without Yuugi noticing.

"We heard shouting," Yuugi stated when he arrived at his brother's side. "What's going on?"

"See for yourself." Atemu indicated to look at the scene below. Both Anzu and Yuugi looked down as Jonouchi continued to yell and scream.

"Oh no, not again," Yuugi sighed. This was the second time this month Jonouchi had acted like this.

"Come on Yuugi," said Atemu, making his way down to the trio. "We had better put a stop to this before someone gets hurt." '_Like Priest Seto.'_

Yuugi quickly told Anzu to stay where she was with Honda, before jogging to catch up with his brother.

"Oh Atemu, can I say something?" Yuugi asked as they walked down the small sand dune.

"What is it?" Atemu replied.

"Spying is not a hobby I'd like you to continue."

Atemu blushed slight. So Yuugi _had_ known they were there. He should have known. Yuugi was a lot smarter than he looked, just like their mother.

As they made their way down, neither Priest Seto, Jonouchi or Shizuka noticed them coming.

"Brother, please!" Shizuka pleaded, close to breaking point. "She's not out there! She can't be!"

"Your sister's right Jonouchi!" Seto held onto Jonouchi's arms, trying as best he could to stop him from running off. "She may not even be alive-"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Jonouchi yelled. He continued to fight, determined to find the scouts from the Empire of Dark Souls, and determined to find her.

_'I know she's out there,' _he thought as he continued to struggle. '_I just know she is!'_

"What is the meaning of this?" bellowed a voice.

The trio immediately stopped what they were doing, letting go of each other. As they saw their Pharaoh and the Prince walking towards them, they quickly bowed and silenced themselves. Judging by the look on Atemu's face, he was not happy.

"Well?" Atemu asked impatiently.

The trio remained silent. When no one answered, Jonouchi stepped forward slowly, his head lowered.

"It's my fault, sire," he apologised with a saddened voice. "I saw the scouts and thought-"

"You thought you she was there, didn't you?" Atemu asked gently.

"Yes. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have done it, but I couldn't control myself. I just want to find her!"

"We will do Jou," Yuugi said, placing a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "I know that she's still alive, and I promise we'll find her."

Jonouchi looked up and smiled at his best friend. "Thank you…"

"We are sorry too sire," Priest Seto stepped forward. Shizuka stepped up next to him, looking equally guilty. Seto continued. "We should have controlled him."

"It is not your fault, Priest Seto," Atemu said kindly. He looked out into the desert and thought for a moment. "If there are scouts from the Empire of Dark Souls near by, then they must know we are here. We had better get back to Illuminarta as quickly as possible."

Atemu, followed by his brother and the shouting trio, made their way back to the rest of the group and informed everyone to pack up and return to Illuminarta.

No sooner had he ordered it, every one had mounted their horses as quickly as possible, and were making their way back to the city as fast as they could. As Anzu held onto to Yuugi's waist as they rode his horse, confused at what had happened just now with Shizuka and the others, she turned behind her as best she could, looking back towards the oasis. She could've sworn they were being watched.

-I-

"So, is that her?" the first soldier of Unit A asked.

"Yes," his companion answered. He watched as the Pharaoh's large group quickly departed the sacred oasis and made their way back to their city. _'They must know we are here.'_

"That little bitch doesn't look so tough," the first man laughed, watching the girl from under his cloak. There was a small glint in his unusually coloured eyes.

"Looks can be deceiving," the second man quoted. He turned to face his partner. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? Won't they catch you?"

"No, they won't," the first man answered. "They already know who I am and would never expect me to betray them. I am family to them."

"OK, if you're sure," the second man sighed. He said a quick 'goodbye' and 'good luck' before turning his horse around and making his way back to the 'Master's' castle.

The first man watched his companion leave, before making his way down the sand dune on his horse and towards the city of Illuminarta, taking a short cut so he would beat the Pharaoh.

_'The time has come to put the 'Master's' plan into action.'_

-I-

To be continued…

-I-

(1): _'Shinning Friendship', 'Ancient Elf', 'Fire Sorcerer', 'Maha Vailo':_ Basically, just think of the cards that she used when she duelled one of the Big Five. 'Shinning Friendship' is from her duel against Mai.

(2): _a white tunic made out of expensive white cloth with a red band down the middle, with a matching dark red cape wrapped around his neck. His body was decorated with golden armbands and rings, and on his head was a small crown that had been especially made to fit around his unique hair. On his feet he were a beautiful pair of sandals…:_ If anyone has ever seen any images of clips of Atemu in the Memory Saga, then it's the same clothes as that, only I'm using red instead of blue on Yuugi. Atemu's clothes are exactly the same as they are in the Memory Saga.

(3): _Pink shorts with a matching pink jacket, a yellow top underneath, black stockings and high pink shoes:_ The clothes she wore when she (dare I say it) went on a 'date' with Yami.

OK, not one of my best chapters. I think I put too much fluff in. But I can't help it! I'm a sucker for fluff! The next chapter will be more exciting, and will contain more fluff!

Please R&R and let me know what you think!


	6. A Ball With A Bang

Hey guys.

Thank you all for reviewing all the chapters so far, and thank you for helping me out. After reading what you all had to say, I've decided to go over my story and change the characters names to their original Japanese names, since it will suit this story better. For those of you that find the names a little confusing, I decided to repost this chapter so you can see the list below:

Téa Gardner/Anzu Mazaki

Yugi/Yuugi

Joey/Jonouchi

Tristan/Honda

Serenity/Shizuka

Ishizu/Isis

Duke/ Otogi

Atemu and the other Priest's will have the same names as before. If you're confused about the five Priests, let me know and I'll send you an email to help you out.

Once again, thanks for all your reviews, and I hope you'll continue reading this story!

_'Thoughts'_

"Speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Long live Peachshipping! But I do own the currency that is used in this story, so you can't use that! It took me a while to come up with it!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 6: A Ball With A Bang

-I-

The city looked peaceful in the early afternoon sun. The fiery ball in the clear blue sky shone over the people of Illuminarta as they went about their everyday lives. The clay houses glowed as the sun shone down on them, and the river's water glistened in the light. This truly was an amazing place to live. Peaceful, happy, safe…

_'But not for long,' _a man thought to himself.

He looked down from the balcony in his room at the people below him. He was dressed exactly like them, in white robes and golden jewellery. A lot different to what he had worn yesterday. After watching the Pharaoh and his followers at the oasis, solider one of Unit A-given the codename "1A" for short- had managed to reach and enter the city only moments before the Pharaoh himself had returned, even though he had stopped along the way to change out of his black robes (which we now hidden under his bed) so no one suspected him. As soon as he had changed, he had made his way to the palace where he had been expected.

'It had been so easy to deceive them all,' the man thought to himself as he remembered his arrival at the palace. 'But of course, that was to be expected. I am family to them after all. They believe me to be one of them. How they trust people so easily. That is their greatest weakness.' 

The man watched as a group of three people made their way towards the palace gates. He instantly recognised Jonouchi and Shizuka, but he did not know who the second female was that was with them. He pushed this to the back of his mind and continued to go through his master's plan in his head.

_'Phase two of his plan is about to begin. I have already sent a messenger to him informing him of the events of tonight. A perfect time to put our plans into action. Soon what is left of Kemet will bow down before Master-'_

The soldier stopped dead in his tracks. Something below him had caught his attention. Running towards the trio he had seen earlier (who were now just about to exit the palace courtyard) was a very familiar looking man, wearing peasants clothes.

"What is this?" the man thought out loud. He shifted his position to get a better look. "It looks like Prince Yuugi is going to the market with his friends the Wheelers'. But who is that other girl he is with? I've never seen that brunette servant before in my…wait a minute. Could it be?"

The man laughed. He realised just what Prince Yuugi was planning.

"So, you attempted to disguise her in peasant's clothing? I must say that was clever of you, but not clever enough. You may have fooled the others, but you haven't fooled me."

Quickly grabbing his pouch of Duel Monster cards, the man exited his room and made his way to the market place just outside the palace. He needed to keep an eye on them if the plan was going to work.

I-

"What a beautiful day!" Yuugi exclaimed gleefully. He stretched his arms above his head. "The sun is shinning, the people are happy, and I get to spend the afternoon outside the palace!"

Anzu giggled at Yuugi's happiness. She wasn't sure how, but Yuugi's happiness seemed to be contagious, since she too seemed full of joy that afternoon. She looked around at the busy afternoon market, taking in all the sights and smells. "By the way Yuugi, thanks for inviting me out to the market today."

"Don't mention it. Shizuka, Jonouchi and I are more than happy to have you with us. And it gives me a chance to thank you for yesterday. Talking to you at the oasis really helped me out, and I feel a lot better. Thank you Anzu."

"I'm glad I could help." Anzu smiled.

"I'm just sorry you had to wear those peasants' clothes," Yuugi continued. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you don't look horrible or anything like that. You never do." Yuugi felt his cheeks burning. He swallowed, hard. "But Atemu insisted that we both wear them. Jonouchi too."

Anzu smoothed down the peasant's dress Shizuka had leant her. She too felt her cheeks start to burn as Yuugi complimented her. "It's OK…"

"But it's not!" Yuugi protested. "I can understand why he asked-or rather ordered- _you_ to wear peasants clothes, since your own are…different, but I don't see why _I_ had to wear them! I am his twin brother after all. People are going to recognise me no matter what I wear…"

Yuugi continued to rant and rave about wearing peasant's clothes, even though he was the mirror image of his brother the Pharaoh, until Jonouchi came up to him and interrupted him.

"Yuugi," he said humbly, giving a slight bow. Even outside the palace walls, Jonouchi treated Prince Yuugi with respect, even though he wasn't suppose to. "I am sorry to interrupt, but we must be going."

"Yes, you're right," Yuugi agreed. He turned to face Anzu. "Jonouchi and I need to take care of some business, but I promise we will return. Are you OK here with Shizuka for a while?"

"Um…"

"Don't worry sire," Shizuka said cheerfully, appearing at Anzu s side. She hooked her arm through Anzu's own and started to drag her away through the crowd. "I'll show Anzu all my favourite stalls while you're gone. She'll be fine with me. Us girls' are going to have some fun!"

"That's what I'm worried about…" Yuugi mumbled to himself as the two girls disappeared through the afternoon crowd. After a moment or two, he followed Jonouchi through the crowd to the stall they had to visit.

Whilst the two boys did what they had to do, Anzu and Shizuka took the opportunity to look at the stalls that sold gifts and items that were mainly for girls. Shizuka showed Anzu all the jewellery, perfumes, shoes and other girly stuff that she desperately wanted. Unfortunately, Shizuka only had a small amount of money on her that day, and Anzu didn't have any at all, so they were unable to buy a lot of gifts.

As Shizuka was paying for a necklace she had seen with the money she had brought with her, Anzu went to look at the stall next door. It was a modest stall, smaller than the one that sold jewels. Instead of selling perfumes and jewels like most of the other stalls in that area, this one sold beautiful gowns made from the finest fabric available in the Kingdom of Light. Although they were all in white, each one had a different design sewn into them, and each one was more beautiful than the rest. There was one that caught her eye right at the back. It was a simple, white Egyptian dress, with small line of golden embroidery around the hem and waist. Anzu fell in love with it in an instant.

"Wow!" exclaimed Shizuka, appearing at Anzu's side. "It's beautiful!"

"It sure is…" Anzu ran her hand over the soft fabric.

"Excuse me," Shizuka approached the man in charge of the stall. "How much for this one?"

"3 dosha's," the man answered in a gruff voice.

"3 dosha's!" Shizuka exclaimed in surprise.

"Is that bad?" Anzu asked. She had no idea what the currency was in the Kingdom of Light, and whether or not it was used throughout Kemet.

"Don't you know the currency?" Shizuka asked, astonished. Anzu shook her head. "Well, I'll quickly tell you the basics. 1 dosha is 1,028 hinieties, and 1 hiniety is 28 jankas."

"O…K…" Anzu was still confused. "What do they look like? The coins, I mean." Anzu had seen Shizuka using coins to pay for her necklace.

Shizuka pulled out a bronze coin from a pouch around her waist. It seemed that everyone had a pouch of some sort. "This is 1 jankas. Hiniety coins are silver and dosha coins are gold."

"So how much would 3 dosha's be in hiniety and jankas?"

"Roughly 3,084 hinieties or 86,352 jankas."

"Wow," Anzu gasped. "That's a lot of money. But still, it's so beautiful…"

"You like it?"

Anzu turned around at the familiar voice. Yuugi, who had appeared out of nowhere with Jonouchi, looked up at Anzu, waiting for her to answer his question.

"Yeah, I do. It's so…beautiful…" Anzu answered dreamily.

Yuugi stepped forward and (gently) took the dress from Anzu's arms. After studying it for a few moments, he approached the man who owned the stall, still holding the dress. Anzu, along with Jonouchi and Shizuka, just stood there and watched. What was Yuugi up to?

That question was soon answered.

"I'll take this one," Yuugi said to the man, handing the dress over to be wrapped up in cloth (so that it wouldn't get dirty).

"What!" Anzu exclaimed. "Yuugi, it's too expensive-"

"Not for me it isn't." Yuugi put his hand inside his pouch and pulled out 3 gold coins. As he did so, Anzu noticed his pouch was slighter larger than before. But she soon pushed this thought to the back of her mind.

As Yuugi continued to pay-the owner of the stall looking rather pleased whilst he was wrapping the dress up- Anzu continued to protest.

"Yuugi…you…I…you don't have to…I mean, it's only a dress! I-"

"Here," Yuugi said simply, holding the now wrapped up dress towards Anzu. He smiled. "Consider it a gift."

Anzu looked down at the bundle in Yuugi's arms, then at Yuugi, and then back at the bundle. She felt something inside of her. A sort of warm, fuzzy feeling. Slowly, she took the bundle out of Yuugi's arms.

"Thank you," she said, astonished. "I don't know how to repay you…"

"I know a way," Yuugi stated. "Wear it tonight when you accompany me to the ball."

"Ball?"

"Yes. It's to remember all those who fought so bravely two years ago when the Empire of Dark Souls first attacked us. Every year we hold a ball to remember the people-towns people, soldiers, my parents, even those who betrayed us and joined the Empire- who died in that great battle. It is also held to celebrate our first victory. I was hoping you would accompany me there tonight."

"Yuugi…" Anzu was shocked. In 16 years, no one had ever, EVER asked her out on a date. OK, so technically it wasn't a proper date. But still, Anzu was surprised that Yuugi was asking her to this important ball of his.

It didn't take her long to answer.

"I would love to accompany you to the ball, Yuugi," she said cheerfully. "And I'll make sure I'll wear this dress. Arigato." She bowed.

Yuugi blinked. "Ari-what-now?"

Anzu giggled. "'Arigato'. It means 'thank you'. Thank you for inviting me."

"Speaking of the ball," Jonouchi piped up. He and Shizuka had kept very quiet whilst this scene had taken place, and frankly, he didn't want it going any further. "We need to return to the palace, sire. The Pharaoh will be wondering where you are, and we need to prepare."

"Well I suppose this freedom couldn't last forever," Yuugi sighed. "Let's head back."

As the small group walked back towards the large palace, all excitedly talking about the upcoming ball, neither of them knew they were being watched.

"1A", making sure he was some distance away from the group, followed them back towards the palace. His eyes glowed a dim red as he sensed his master using his secret weapon to enter his mind and see through his eyes. "1A" had been informed that the brunette was due for another vision soon, and he did not want to miss that experience. He needed to know everything about this girl in order to help his master defeat her.

_'She is not even aware of her powers yet,' _"1A" heard the Master say in his head. He sounded amused. _'How that will soon change tonight. But for now…'_

As the group walked across the courtyard of the palace, the gates closing behind them, Anzu felt a weird sensation flow over her body. A sort of cold chill from her head to her toes. She had felt this before, and knew exactly what was coming next.

"Ah!" She gasped and the searing pain she had experienced before started to grow in her mind. She was having another vision. She put her hands in her head and closed her eyes in hopes of making the pain go away.

_'No,' _she cried in her mind._ 'Not again! Please!'_

Yuugi, Shizuka and Jonouchi, hearing Anzu in pain, rushed to her side.

"Anzu!" Yuugi called. She was shivering uncontrollably. "Anzu! What's wrong!"

But Anzu didn't hear him. As she fell onto her knees, Yuugi still crying out to her, images flashed in her mind as the vision became clearer…

_She was standing as she was before the vision appeared: in the courtyard in front of the palace. But instead of seeing a peaceful palace and happy people going about their everyday lives, she saw nothing but chaos. _

_All around her was fire. Buildings, plants, even the ground was on fire. The thick black smoke had blackened the sky. There were no people, apart from herself. She was all alone, surrounded by a wall of fire. _

_Suddenly an all mighty roar erupted into the sky. Screaming, Anzu turned around and found she was not alone. She was face to face with a powerful dragon. Frozen with fear, she could only watched as the dragon came closer towards her…_

_Only, the dragon wasn't after her. It was after something else…_

_In the middle of the flames, a figure appeared. As Anzu looked closer, she saw Yuugi standing in front of the dragon's path. He looked ready to fight, with his sword in one hand, and his deck in the other. _

_But he wasn't strong enough to defeat this dragon._

_Before Anzu could say or do anything, the dragon gave another all mighty roar, before launching an attack on Yuugi. The area was absorbed in a blinding light…_

"Anzu!"

Anzu opened her eyes. She found herself kneeling on the floor. Shizuka and Jonouchi were standing around her, a look of shock on their faces. Yuugi on the other hand, was kneeling next to Anzu. He had a look of terror on his face.

"Anzu! Are you alright?" Yuugi cried desperately. He had tears in his eyes. "Holy shit! You scared me half to death! I thought this-"

"Yuugi!" Anzu cried, grabbing Yuugi's shoulders. "Yuugi, we're in danger…"

"What?" Yuugi gasped.

"Monsters are going to attack Illuminarta, tonight!"

"Anzu …I…are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"But how do you know this?"

"I just do." Anzu refused to tell Yuugi about her visions. She wasn't sure how he would take it. "I have this…feeling, that's all. You have to trust me, Yuugi…"

Yuugi looked into Anzu's eyes. She didn't seem to be lying. And Anzu wouldn't lie to him, would-

"Prince Yuugi!" bellowed a baritone voice.

Simultaneously, Yuugi, Anzu, Shizuka and Jonouchi looked up at the sound of the cry. A very breathless Honda was running towards them.

"Honda," Yuugi cried. He stood up as the familiar guard came closer and closer towards him. Anzu stood up behind him, a little weak from her vision.

When Honda reached the group, he stopped, placing his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Once he did, he kneeled down before the prince.

"Your highness," he spoke, "I have just returned from the desert. I bring horrible new about the Kingdom of Hope."

Yuugi felt his blood run cold. "What about the Kingdom of Hope?"

"Kingdom of Hope?" Anzu whispered to Shizuka, whom was standing next to her. "What's that?"

Shizuka, who had turned pale, turned her head slightly to answer. "Kemet was once made up of three kingdoms: The Kingdom of Hope, The Kingdom of Destiny and The Kingdom of Light. When the Empire of Dark Souls first appeared just over two years ago, they immediately conquered the Kingdom of Destiny, murdering everyone there. I just hope nothing bad has happened to the Kingdom of Hope. That is where our friend Otogi is…"

Anzu said nothing. It seemed as if the Empire of Dark Souls was more dangerous than she first thought. How could they be stopped? Could she be able to help Yuugi and Atemu defeat them somehow?

She turned back to Honda and Yuugi and anxiously waited for the news.

"The Kingdom of Hope…" Honda paused. "They're…gone, your highness."

"Gone? You mean, they are all dead?"

Honda didn't answer.

"Are there not any survivors?"

Honda still didn't answer.

"What about our friend, Otogi? Did he survive?"

"I am sorry your highness," Honda finally spoke, his voice filled with sadness. "No one survived."

Yuugi felt the colour disappear from his face. Anzu heard Shizuka give a small gasp. Jonouchi and herself remained silent.

"I need to tell the Pharaoh," Honda began as he stood up.

"No," Yuugi spoke calmly, but firmly. "You go with Jonouchi and prepare for the ball. I'll go and tell Atemu. I need to speak to him anyway." He looked at Anzu and winked.

"Is it wise to still hold the ball?" Honda asked.

"We must. We need to remember all those who have fought so bravely for peace, including those in the Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny. In the mean time, I need you and Jonouchi to arrange for more guards to be on duty tonight. After what you have just told me, we cannot take any chances. Shizuka," he turned to face the two girls. "Take Anzu to her room. You two need to prepare for the ball as well."

"Yes, your highness," Shizuka bowed. She picked up Anzu's bundle off the floor, and led the brunette away towards the palace. Anzu looked back to see if Yuugi was still there, but he had already disappeared into the castle to find his brother.

-I-

"How could this have happened!" Atemu shouted, outraged. He punched the wall, not noticing the pain shooting up his arm as his fist collided with the stonewall in his chamber.

Yuugi-having rushed straight to Atemu to deliver the news from Honda- could only stand a few feet away from his brother as his emotions became uncontrollable.

"First it was the Kingdom of Destiny," Atemu continued, a little calmer than before. "Now it's the Kingdom of Hope! The Empire of Dark Souls is increasing in power. Soon, we will be next. What if we are not strong enough…"

"You mustn't think like that," Yuugi urged, stepping forward. "We will defeat them and put a stop to their plan. Just have faith. I know that the Angel of Light will come soon and help us."

Atemu looked up at his brother. "You're right," he sighed. "I must have faith. If I lose control now, then there is no hope for us. After all, I am the Pharaoh, and I must act with dignity as befits the living representation of the Gods at all times…"

"You sound more and more like father everyday," Yuugi commented.

"But," Atemu starting walking to towards his brother, ignoring his comment, "it is not only this news about the Kingdom of Hope that disturbs me. It is what Anzu has said to you." He stopped in front of Yuugi. "Are you sure she is not lying?"

"Anzu would never lie to me Atemu. I know she wouldn't. I may have only known her for a short amount of time, but we have become close friends. She is not the lying type."

"I'm not sure Yuugi. As you know, I still do not completely trust her. I'm curious to know how she got this information."

"I don't know either," Yuugi sighed. "Before she told me, she had pains in her head again and seemed to black out. It's like she had some sort of vision."

"A vision?" Atemu asked, surprised. "But how can that be? Priest Isis is the only one granted visions because of her Millennium Necklace, but lately she has had none."

"Maybe that is because the power from the Millennium Items is fading, and they are becoming weaker," Yuugi suggested.

"Maybe, but still…" Atemu turned and walked towards his balcony, stopping in the large archway. The sun was just beginning to set, and the city of Illuminarta glowed in the light. Below, the young Pharaoh could see people starting to arrive for the ball. "After what has happened to the Kingdom of Hope, we cannot afford to take any chances, especially with the ball tonight. The celebrations must continue, but we will need more guards-"

"I have already taken care of that," Yuugi said, walking to his brother's side. "We have twenty extra men on duty."

Atemu turned to face his brother with a surprised expression, before he let out a small laugh and smiled.

"I should have known you would take care of that. You acted just as I would."

"Well, I _am_ your twin…" Yuugi joked. Atemu laughed.

"Yes, you are. We do everything together. Including, by the looks of it, appearing late at our own ball! I am almost ready so I will head down soon. You better go back to your chamber and prepare yourself, unless you want out people to see you in peasants clothes?"

"Don't worry Atemu," Yuugi laughed as he turned to exit the room. "I'll change. I wouldn't want to embarrass you…"

"As if you could…"

Yuugi laughed at his brother's remark, before exiting his room, closing the door softly behind him. Then, taking six steps in total, Yuugi walked to the other side of the corridor and entered his own room. Before he closed the door, he quickly glanced at the door that led to Anzu's room. He could hear the two girls laughing inside. He smiled as he closed his door.

It didn't take him long to prepare. After cleansing his body in the warm water that filled his swimming pool sized bath, the young prince was quick to change into his robes for the ball. He decorated his body with gold and jewels and placed his crown upon his head. He also made sure he attached his sword and his deck (in its pouch) around his waist, just in case anything happened that night. Once he was sure he was ready, he exited his room and made his way to Anzu's at the end of the corridor. Knocking on the door, he waited patiently until Shizuka opened answered. Opening the door, she gave Yuugi a bow as he entered, before she exited the room so leave the two teenagers alone.

Anzu stood near her balcony, waiting for Yuugi. Yuugi looked up at Anzu and couldn't help but gasp at the sight before him. The dress he had bought her fitter her perfectly, hugging to her body and flowing down to her shins. Her body was decorated with golden armbands and jewels (borrowed kindly from Priest Isis) and on her head was a small but beautiful tiara. Around her neck she wore her crystal necklace.

"Wow…" Yuugi gasped. He felt the colour rising to his cheeks. "You look beautiful Anzu."

"You think so?" Anzu asked, a little embarrassed. The fabric felt soft against her skin.

"Of course I do! You look like an angel…"

Anzu blushed. "Thank you."

"…But, there's something missing…" Yuugi continued thoughtfully. He opened his pouch around his waist and pulled out something. As Anzu looked closer, she saw it was a sort of creamy colour, and was roughly the same size as Yuugi's pouch. Yuugi held it out to her.

"Here," he said, as Anzu took the object from his hands. "It's a pouch to place your deck in, so you can take it anywhere with you. It's nothing much, but I thought you should have one."

"Oh Yuugi, you shouldn't have," Anzu said cheerfully. She noticed her name had been sewn into the fabric. "Thank you so much! I'll put my deck in it right now."

Walking to her bed, she lifted up the pillow and picked up the deck. She opened the pouch and was about to place her deck inside, when she saw something else was in there. Pulling the second object out, she saw that it was the Black Magician Girl card. Thinking that Yuugi left it in there by mistake, she handed it back to him.

"I think you left this in here by mistake," she said, holding the card out to him.

Yuugi shook his head and pushed the card back to towards Anzu. "No I didn't. I want you to have her."

"Yuugi, this is very kind of you, it really is, more that I deserve. But I don't think I can. She's really important to you…"

"And you're important to me too. Anzu, I want you to keep Black Magician Girl with you. That way, a part of me will always be with you, no matter where we are. Besides," Yuugi giggled, "Black Magician Girl likes you a lot. She told me so herself."

"Yuugi…I…" Anzu was touched by Yuugi's words, and didn't know what to say. So instead, she let her actions speak for her.

Placing Black Magician Girl on the top, she placed her deck into her new pouch and attached it to the belt around her waist. Then, before she changed her mind, she hugged Yuugi.

Yuugi, taken by the surprise, stood there for a moment as Anzu hugged him. But he soon recovered and hugged her back.

"Thank you," Anzu whispered in his ear.

"No problem," Yuugi whispered back. "Now," he gently broke the hug and held out his arm. "Shall we make our way to the ball?"

Anzu giggled, before slipping her arm through Yuugi's. Together, they made their way down to the hall, both with huge smiles on their faces.

-I-

The ball was amazing, and Anzu couldn't stop smiling. In the main hall, people sat on large cushions at three rows of tables that were arranged in an almost square-like shaped. Laid on the table, were piles and piles of magnificent food: cooked meat, fruit and vegetables, even things Anzu had never seen before in her life, but still tasted delicious. Everyone drank fresh wine from gold goblets and chatted loudly to the person nearest them. Servants came round and served the people whilst musicians played music on their drums, tambourines, flutes and oboes.

Pharaoh Atemu and Prince Yuugi sat next to each other at the table in the middle of the arrangement, so that they could see everyone and everyone could see them. The six Priests also sat the same table, three on either side of the royal brothers. Anzu sat on Yuugi's left hand side, after Yuugi insisted that she sat there. Apparently, that sat was reserved for important guests such as herself.

Before the feast that started the ball had begun, the Pharaoh had made a moving speech. He had urged everyone to join him to celebrate the lives of all those lost in the past two years thanks to the Empire of Dark Souls, especially those in the Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny. He promised his people that they would defeat the Empire and stop their evil darkness from spreading, restoring light to Kemet. Everyone had cheered at the moving speech, before they started the feast.

When most people had finished eating and began to get a little high from the wine, they began dancing in the square space in front of the tables. Atemu laughed at some of the peoples' 'dances' and found himself having fun for the first time in years. For once, all the worries from the Empire of Dark Souls were forgotten in his young mind.

As Yuugi too watched people like Priest Seto and Shizuka dance together (Jonouchi was not happy about this and had to be restrained from beating Seto up by Honda), he got an idea. Standing up, he held out his hand to Anzu, who looked up at him and blinked.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked her.

Anzu looked at Yuugi, then at the people dancing. "I don't think I can."

"Of course you can. You told me you danced back home, didn't you?"

"Yes…but…I haven't danced in a long time. I don't know if I can…"

"Then I'll teach you."

Anzu looked up into Yuugi's amethyst eyes. Yuugi was so kind to her, sometimes she wondered if she deserved such kindness. After all, she was keeping secrets from him, and knew that if he found out, he would be hurt. But these thoughts were soon forgotten, as she was lost in Yuugi's bright eyes. She took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the 'dance floor'.

Once they had found a space, Yuugi took Anzu hand and led her through the dance. She was a little clumsy at first, getting the moves wrong here and there, but thanks to her dancing skills, she soon managed to memorise the steps and started to have fun. As the music continued, she found herself lost by the sounds around her and the sight of Yuugi before her. They both laughed as they continued to dance, not caring what the world though of them at that moment. No one else mattered to them, just as long as they were here, together.

The pair continued to dance, never taking their eyes off each other and laughing as they had fun, until Anzu accidentally tripped over and fell forward, landing in Yuugi's chest. She felt his arms wrap around her body to stop her from falling. They stood there for a moment, looking into each other's eyes. Anzu could feel Yuugi's heart beat in his chest and felt her own heart begin to beat faster and faster.

Their minds a blur, only focussing on the person in front of them, they felt their faces move closer together. Closing her eyes and softening her lips, Anzu held her breath as she and Yuugi's lips were only inches apart…

BANG!

Yuugi and Anzu fell to the floor as the palace shook. People screamed as the ground around them shook violently, causing dust to fall from the stones.

"What's going on?" Pharaoh Atemu shouted, standing up from his seat.

Another loud explosion could be heard from outside, and more people began to scream. Some started running out of the hall in fear.

Without thinking, Anzu jumped up from the ground and ran towards a large balcony that looked out over the city.

"Anzu!" she heard Yuugi cry. "Come back! Anzu!"

But Anzu didn't listen. Her instincts taking over, she ran to the balcony and looked over the edge. She gasped as her eyes witnessed the horrible sight before her.

Duel Monsters were attacking the city.

-I-

To be continued…

-I-

Please R&R! Next chapter will be up asap. Email me with any questions!


	7. Attack the City!

Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update yet again. You can blame school and my sisters for that since they hogged the computer! But luckily, because my exam results were so good, my parents have decided to get me a laptop, meaning that I can write chapters more quickly! Woohoo!

I would like to take a moment to thank all you lovely reviewers:

ImCrazyAndProudOfIt

KaibaYamiLover

Crystallynne

sugarontop1

me

JMeg

trekker4life

darkangelwp05

Thank you all so much! I love reading your reviews!

Also, as you may have noticed, I've changed the characters names to their original Japanese names. If you're still confused, here's a quick list:

Téa/Anzu

Yugi/Yuugi

Joey/Jonouchi

Tristan/Honda

Serenity/Shizuka

Ishizu/Isis

Atemu and the other Priest's will have the same names as before. If you're confused about any of those, let me know and I'll try and help you out!

Now, shall we get on with it?

__

'Thoughts'

"Speaking"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Long live Peachshipping!

Note: The names of the monsters in this chapter are in their original Japanese names (and have been translated to English where possible). There is a list at the end of the chapter.

-I-

Another World

Chapter 7: Attack The City!

-I-

Anzu felt her hands cover her mouth as she continued to stare at the horrific sights before her. Duel Monsters of all shapes, sizes and forms had gathered outside the walls of Illuminarta and were attacking the city, showing no mercy. Some of the monsters had already managed to make it inside Illuminarta, and were now heading towards the palace. In fact, most of the monsters seemed to be attacking the palace itself, rather than destroying the whole city. Screams could be heard as the people below tried to escape from the flames around them.

"Anzu!" Anzu heard Yuugi's voice calling her, but her body wouldn't move. Her eyes would not leave the scene before her. She was frozen with fear.

"Anzu!" Yuugi called again as he made his way to the balcony where she stood. "Anzu, what are you-" He stopped dead in his tracks as he set his eyes on the scene before him. Fear and panic took over his body and he began to shake. "Oh no…n-not this…not again…"

"Yuugi!" cried Atemu, following his brother outside. "What's going on?"

His question was soon answered when one of the monsters launched an attack at the palace walls, causing bricks and plaster to fly into the air.

"Oh no! It's just like two years ago," he said in a gasp. "This cannot be happening! I won't allow it!"

Atemu turned to face the small crowd of Priests and guards that had gathered behind him. Most of the other civilians had already escaped from the palace.

"Mahado! Karim! Shada!" He bellowed so they could all hear him over the 'booms' and screams from outside. "Go into the city and help the civilians into their shelters. Honda, you take some of the guards with them and help them. Make sure they are protected against the monsters. Akunadin! Isis! Seto! You will stay with Yuugi and me and help protect the palace. We must destroy those monsters as soon as possible with the heka (1) in our Millennium Items. You have your orders, now GO!"

The group all bowed quickly before their Pharaoh, before rushing off out of the hall to their destinations. Time was not on their side. If they didn't destroy the monsters quickly, Illuminarta would be destroyed, and The Kingdom of Light would fall to the Empire of Dark Souls.

Once the priests and guards had exited the large hall, drawing out their decks ready to fight, only four people remained with Pharaoh Atemu: Prince Yuugi, Anzu, Shizuka and Jonouchi. Feeling as though the Pharaoh had made a mistake in leaving him out, Jonouchi stepped forward and kneeled before Atemu.

"Pharaoh," he said humbly, "what about me? Shouldn't I go with Honda and help him against the monsters?"

"No," Atemu answered sternly. "You will stay here with Shizuka and Anzu…"

"But Pharaoh-" Jonouchi began to protest, standing to his feet.

"Silence! Pharaoh speaks!" Jonouchi immediately silenced himself, and knelt down on the floor, bowing his head. Atemu continued. "Jonouchi, I know how hard it is for you, especially since she was taken from your side. But you must understand, I cannot put you in danger. If I let you fight, you may do something reckless again, like you did at the oasis, and I can't risk something like that happening again. So, you must stay with Shizuka and Anzu and make sure they are safe. Do you understand?"

Jonouchi bowed his head even lower. "Yes, my Pharaoh."

"Good." Atemu turned his head to face his brother behind him. "Come on, Yuugi."

Atemu suddenly started running for the door and quickly exited down the corridor. His footsteps were heard disappearing into the distance. Yuugi said a quick goodbye to the small group around him, before he began to follow his brother. But after taking only a few steps, he was stopped by Anzu calling him.

"Yuugi! Wait!"

"What is it, Anzu?" Yuugi asked when he stopped, turning to face the brunette.

"Yuugi," Anzu said softly. It broke her heart that Yuugi was leaving to fight in a battle, leaving her alone once again. "You promised me that I wouldn't be alone, but now you're going to fight in a dangerous battle! You're leaving me!"

"Anzu," Yuugi said gently, walking towards her. "You won't be alone. Shizuka and Jonouchi will be with you."

"I know, but it's not the same! You promised me Yuugi! You promised me you'd always be there-"

"And I will be," Yuugi interrupted. He stopped in front of Anzu and brought his hand up to her face. He gently wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, letting his hand linger on her soft skin. "Anzu, you have to understand, this is something that I have to do. If I don't fight, then you, Atemu, everyone will be destroyed. It's my duty to protect you and the people of Illuminarta, OK?"

Anzu gave a small sniff as she tried to hold back her tears. She placed her hand on top of Yuugi's, which was still on her cheek.

"I understand," she said, her voice shaking. She gave Yuugi's hand a small squeeze. "Just promise me that you'll be careful."

"I promise. I'll come back just as soon as I can."

Before he left, Yuugi took Anzu's hand and gave her a small kiss. He then slowly started walking backwards, Anzu still holding onto his hand, until he became too far away and they were forced to let go. Saying another quick goodbye to his friends, Yuugi turned around and ran out the hall to catch up with his brother.

As Anzu heard him disappear, she opened up the pouch Yuugi had given her earlier and pulled out a card from the top of her deck. Her grip tightened on the Black Magician Girl (2) card when Yuugi's footsteps finally disappeared completely.

__

'Yuugi…'

"AHH!" Shizuka screamed as a fiery ball hit the palace walls, causing the ground to shake. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling.

"Come on!" Jonouchi-who was now standing up-cried. "It's not safe here anymore! Let's find somewhere else to hide!"

Shizuka and Anzu agreed, and the trio swiftly exited the hall and began to make their way down the stone corridor. Unfortunately, upon hearing a gruesome, low growl ahead of them, Jonouchi stopped and held the two girls back behind him. The growls grew louder, and shadows could be seen on the walls of the corridor, coming closer towards them, until suddenly, a swarm of hideous worm-like monsters, with rotting flesh for heads and tentacle-like arms appeared around the corner. Shizuka let out a loud scream at the sight of them.

"What are those things!" Anzu screeched.

"Wicked Worm Beasts!" Jonouchi answered, trying to fight off his sudden nausea. Suddenly, the main hall seemed like a very safe place to hide.

"They don't look too happy," Anzu said worriedly as the Wicked Worm Beasts began to close in on them. Drool could be seen around their mouths.

"What do we do now, big brother?" Shizuka asked desperately. The trio began to slowly walk backwards, attempting to get away from the revolting monsters. Unfortunately, the swarm followed them, coping each and every step they took.

All of a sudden, Jonouchi got an idea. Swiftly, he opened his pouch and pulled out his Duel Monsters deck. After quickly shuffling the cards, he pulled a card from the top of the pile. He stole a quick glance at the card he had drawn. More than satisfied with the card, he held it above his head, just like Yuugi had done when Anzu had first met him.

"Now I summon, Swordsman of Flames (3)!"

The eye-shaped pendent around Jonouchi's neck glowed, as did the card in his hand. Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of the card and landed on the ground in front of him, causing the enemy to stop in their tracks in terror. Out of the light, a human shaped body appeared, dressed in clothes of orange and blue, complete with a matching headdress. In the new creature's hand was a large sword.

"Now my swordsman!" Jonouchi cried. The Swordsman of Flames lifted up his sword as his master gave him his commands. "Attack with Fighting Spirit Flame Slash Sword!"

Swordsman of Flames gave an almighty yell, before he charged at The Wicked Worm Beasts, his sword now engulfed in flames. With one swift movement, he brought his fiery sword down and slashed at the first line of Worms, cutting them cleanly in half. The Worms gave a blood-curdling scream as their flesh was cut and burned by the sword, before they disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

Anzu felt her jaw hit the floor in amazement.

"Wow…" she gasped

"Come on!" Jonouchi called, grabbing the two girls and making their way back down the corridor. "Swordsman of Flames won't last long now that our powers are fading, so we don't have much time. We have to get back to the hall where it's safe!"

And sure enough, as the trio ran as fast as they could, a beam of light shot after them and landed back into Jonouchi's card in his hand. Swordsman of Flames had been defeated. Shizuka and Anzu gave no protest as they ran straight back into the hall, slamming the doors behind them.

-I-

"ATTACK!"

Priests Akunadin, Isis and Seto gave a yell as they obeyed their Pharaoh, sending their creatures into battle. The three monsters ran/ flew forward, roaring and screeching as they launched their attacks on the first row of evil monsters that had now reached the palace. The dark creatures screamed in pain as their bodies were pelted with fiery blasts, before they disappeared in a puff of smoke. The Priests, along with Pharaoh Atemu and Prince Yuugi, gave a cheer as the enemy monsters disappeared, but their celebrations were short lived. As soon as the first line of monsters were gone, a second line of even stronger monsters soon took their place.

"It's no good!" cried Yuugi. "No matter what we do, more monsters seem to appear out of no where."

"Yes, I know," Atemu shouted over the various shouts and growls. He looked down at the monsters from where their group stood at the base of the wall that surrounded the palace. "And that's not all. As soon as we attack, our monsters seem to disappear." And right on cue, Priest Isis's monster suddenly disappeared in a burst of light.

"_Great_. Now what do we do?" Yuugi asked.

"What do we do?" Atemu answered, surprised. "Yuugi, there is only one thing that stands even a small chance against the Empire of Dark Souls. You know what I'm talking about, right?" Atemu turned to face his brother.

Yuugi swallowed. He knew all too well what Atemu was talking about. It was known as plan "M" between the two, and only Atemu and Yuugi had the two halves that made up that plan. Unfortunately, Yuugi didn't have his half anymore...

Not noticing his brother's sudden worried facial expression, Atemu swiftly took out his deck of Duel Monster cards and pulled out the card from the top. Stealing a quick glance from his card, he smiled, before holding it high in the air above his head.

"Now I summon," he announced, "the Black Magician (_4_)!"

The eye-like symbol on the front of his Millennium Puzzle began to glow, as did the card as a result of the item's power. A sudden burst of light shot out from the card into the air in front of them, before it quickly began to take the form of a human-shaped monster, dressed in rich purple robes and holding a powerful staff encrusted with a green jewel.

The Black Magician stood between the Pharaoh and his enemy, waiting for his instructions from his master.

Atemu waited for a few moments for Yuugi to summon the other half of their plan. But when he failed to summon anything, he began to panic. Without intending to, he started to feel angry towards his other half.

"Yuugi!" he cried, facing his brother. "What are you doing! Summon the Black Magician Girl, NOW!"

Yuugi swallowed, and began to slowly pull out his deck. How was he suppose to summon the Black Magician Girl when he had given it to Anzu earlier that evening? He knew it was a stupid thing to do, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. It was as if the Black Magician Girl _wanted_ to go with Anzu, to protect her for Yuugi…

Yuugi shook his head. Now was not the time to be thinking like this. Illuminarta was under attack, and even though they couldn't execute plan "M", Yuugi knew there were other plans they could use. But for now, he'd have to think of something quick, before the enemy attacked them again.

He took the first card from the top of his deck and closed his eyes, praying it was a monster card. Slowly opening one eye, he snuck a glance at he card he had drawn. Sighing in relief at the sight of the monster card, he held it above his head as his eye-shaped pendant began to glow.

"Now I summon, Elf Soldier _(8)_!"

The Elf Soldier, dressed in clothes of green and white, a blue cloak hanging from his neck, and a strong helmet placed upon his blonde hair, appeared out of the burst of light in front of his master, Yuugi.

Atemu did a double take at the sight of the elf. "Elf Soldier! Yuugi! What are you doing?"

"Now my soldier!" Yuugi yelled, ignoring his brother. "Attack with your sword!"

Elf Solider gave a yell as he charged towards the enemy monster that was closest to him, his blue cape flowing outwards behind him. His yellow eyes burned with the fire of courage as the enemy came closer into range. Using his sword, he held it above his head, before swiftly bringing it down upon the enemies head, cutting it in half and destroying it instantly. Unfortunately, as soon as the Elf Soldier attacked, he too disappeared as the power of the Millennium Items continued to decrease.

"Yuugi!" Atemu shouted in outrage. Elf Soldier disappeared back into Yuugi's card. Yuugi attempted to look away from his brother, but Atemu stepped in front of him and held onto his shoulders so that they remained eye contact. "What the hell was that?"

"Well...I..."Yuugi started

"Why did you not summon Black Magician Girl like I said?" Atemu interrupted. His anger towards Yuugi was growing with every passing second.

"..." Yuugi didn't answer.

"Well?" Atemu asked, impatiently.

Yuugi sighed. There was no point hiding anything from his other half. They knew each other inside out, so it would only be a matter of time before Atemu found out. _'It's best that he finds out sooner rather than later,'_ he thought.

"Atemu," he said, trying not to look into his brother's crimson eyes. "I didn't summon Black Magician Girl...because...I don't have her..."

Atemu blinked. "WHAT!" He shouted.

"I don't have her anymore," Yuugi said more loudly. "I...I gave her to someone..."

"You gave away Black Magician Girl!" Atemu continued to shout. "What were you thinking! You know how important she is, and yet you still gave her away? Who did you give it to? Jonouchi? Honda? Anz-" A sudden thought hit Atemu like a tone of bricks. "No…No! You didn't...you didn't, did you?"

He looked into his brother's eyes, hoping that he was wrong. Unfortunately, Yuugi's eyes shone with innocence and truth. Atemu felt his blood run cold when he figured out what Yuugi had done with the Black Magician Girl.

"You gave her to Anzu?" He said, his voice quiet from shock. Yuugi slowly nodded, still not able to face his brother. "Of all the people you could have given her to, you gave her to Anzu! HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!"

"I was not being stupid!" Yuugi retaliated. "Black Magician Girl belongs with Anzu! I can't explain it, but it's like they need each other! Besides, this way I know Anzu will be protected. Black Magician Girl is a strong monster and can easily protect Anzu for me."

"And how is she suppose to summon Black Magician Girl?" Atemu shouted. "She doesn't have powers like us! She cannot use the power of the Millennium Items! Did you even consider that!"

Yuugi was about to answer back, but he was silenced by yet another huge explosion above their heads. The monsters had fired another fiery ball at the wall. Dust fell on top of his and Atemu's head as the smoke cause from the enemies last attack began to clear. A huge hole could be been in the wall they stood next to.

"This is not the time to be arguing," Yuugi said, coughing as some of the dust entered his lungs.

"Yes, I agree," Atemu said in a low voice. He looked up at the new row of monsters that were ready to attack them. Most of them seemed to be monsters such as Supreme Ruler of the Dark Demon World _(6)._ If they could executed plan 'Fusion', they just might stand a chance.

"Yuugi," Atemu said a little more urgently, "you may not have Black Magician with you, but that does not mean we cannot fight. There are other plans we can use, if we work _together_..."

Yuugi looked up at his brother. Catching the glint in his crimson eyes, he immediately caught on to his brother's plan. Nodding in agreement, they simultaneously flicked through their decks, until they found the right cards. Holding them above their heads, they began to execute plan 'Fusion'...

-I-

"Almost…there…" Jonouchi groaned. He, Anzu and Shizuka had made it back into the main hall safely and were now in the process of barricading the doors with the tables they had sat at earlier. "Keep…pushing…"

Anzu and Shizuka groaned as they continued to try and push the last of the heavy wooden tables towards the hall entrance. Slowly, the wooden piece of furniture began to skid across the stone floor. Screeches echoed throughout the hall, until finally, the last table was put into place: in front of the two other tables that had been placed vertically against the door.

"There," Jonouchi said proudly as he dusted of his hands. "That should hold them."

Unfortunately for him, as soon as the words escaped his mouth, a loud explosion was heard from the other side of the door. He jumped back in surprise as splinters of wood flew into the room and landed on the ground as the Wicked Worm Beasts tried to make their way through. They could smell the human flesh from inside and were eager for an evening meal.

"I think you spoke too soon," Anzu said nervously. Another explosion was heard and more splinters landed on the ground.

Shizuka screamed when a third explosion was heard, causing one of the small holes to become larger. One of the creatures from the other side stuck one of their tentacles through the now large hall and began to attempt pushing the tables out of the way. Anzu's grip on the Black Magician Girl card tightened as another hole was created and a second tentacle appeared out of no where. It too began to push one of the tables out of their way.

"What do we do now?" Shizuka asked desperately. She held onto her brothers arm as he jumped out in front of the two girls. The table the creatures were attempting to remove was now beginning to rock backwards and forwards.

Jonouchi stood there. Frozen. Unable to do anything. They were trapped, with no why to escape. It was too risky to jump down from the balcony. He could easily make the jump, but he wasn't too sure about the girls. They could easily break their legs.

The trio took a step backwards as one of the three tables suddenly fell to the floor. A loud 'thud' echoed through the hall. In the gap where the table used to be, more blasts were fired, and more tentacles began to appear as the monsters began to remove the two remaining doors.

"We're trapped!" Anzu exclaimed. "How can we escape?"

Just as Jonouchi was about to answer and calm the two hysterical girls down, he was suddenly silenced by a loud roar from outside. Jonouchi felt his heart beat quicken and his blood run cold. He recognised that roar all too well. But it couldn't be…could it?

He broke away from the two girls, ignoring the cries from his sister. He dashed towards the window as the adrenaline pumped through his body.

__

'There's no way they could use it,' he thought as he neared the balcony. _'She wouldn't let them! She wouldn't let them take it!'_

Jonouchi ran out onto the large balcony and looked up at the darkened sky. He let out a loud gasp as his eyes met those of a very powerful dragon…

…Harpy's Pet Dragon (_7) …_

-I-

"Now I summon," Atemu announced, the card in his hand and the Millennium Puzzle around his neck glowing once again, "Baffomet!"

A blast of light shot out of the card, and a mythical brown creature with yellow horns appeared in front of the young Pharaoh, ready to attack.

"And I summon," Yuugi yelled when his brother was done, "Beast King Gazelle! _(8)_!"

A blast of light now shot out of Yuugi's card, and a creature that resembled a brown lion suddenly appeared out of the white light in front of Yuugi. The monster stood next to Baffomet, ready for the next stage of plan 'Fusion'.

"And now!" The two brothers announced loudly at the same time. They both held a green magic card above their heads. "We activate the magic card 'Fusion' _(9)_!"

Both Atemu's Millennium Puzzle and Yuugi's pendent began to glow once again as they both used their heka on the creatures before them. The Fusion cards in their hands also began to glow. Their two monsters in front of them were absorbed in a blinding light as the 'Fusion' card's effect took hold of them, fusing them together to form a new and more powerful beast.

"We fuse our monsters together," both Atemu and Yuugi shouted. "To form…" The ball of light suddenly disappeared, and now a new twin-headed beast that also resembled a brown lion with wings and horns stood where Baffomet and Gazelle once stood. "Winged Beast Phantom Kimera _(10)_!_"_

Kimera gave an deafening roar, causing the front row of enemy monsters to stop attacking. Suddenly, they looked incredible scared.

"Now our monster!" Atemu and Yuugi shouted once again, pointing to the enemy. "ATTACK!"

Kimera wasted no time in following his two master's orders. Giving another loud roar, he charged forward, flapping his wings and launching himself into the air. After hovering for a few short moments, Kimera soared forward towards the enemy and launched his attack on the evil creatures. He quickly destroyed the first row of monsters one by one. Atemu couldn't help but smile as the enemy disappeared one by one in large puffs of smoke.

"Atemu!" Yuugi said surprised. "Why are you smiling? As soon as we destroy one row of monsters, another row suddenly appears!"

"Yes," Atemu agreed, still smiling. "But have you noticed something about Kimera?"

Yuugi blinked in confusion and looked up at their beast. As he watched their beast attack again and again, he didn't seem any different. He turned back to his brother for an answer.

Atemu couldn't help but laugh at the confused look on his brother's face. "You haven't noticed, Yuugi?" Yuugi shook his head. "Kimera is more powerful than any other monster we have, apart from the Black Magicians. Because it is powerful, it uses up a lot of power from the Millennium Items…"

Suddenly, something click in Yuugi's mind. "I get it!" he exclaimed. "Kimera is lasting a lot longer than any of our other monsters!"

"That is correct. And do you know why that is?"

"Because Kimera was formed with double heka?" Yuugi asked.

"Yes. Kimera was formed from two separate beasts brought together by both of our powers. Thus, Kimera has double heka and power and can last a lot longer than any of our other monsters."

Yuugi smiled at the happy news and looked back up at their monster. But as he continued to watch Kimera quickly destroying the enemy, his happiness soon faded. Instead, he found himself feeling anxious, and wanted this battle to be over as soon as possible. So many innocent people had been put in danger from these attacks, and he wanted all of them to be safe. Thoughts of a particular brunette crept into Yuugi's mind. He turned his head to face back to the palace.

__

'I hope Anzu is safe.'

-I-

Jonouchi continued to stare into the eyes of Harpy's Pet Dragon. His body began to shake as their eyes met, and they continued to stare at one another. A memory from his childhood flashed through Jonouchi's mind…

__

-Flashback-

"Here," a five-year-old Jonouchi said. He held out a Duel Monsters card in front of him to the girl opposite.

The little girl looked at the card, then back up at Jonouchi. "Is this for me?" she said, pointing to the card.

Jonouchi smiled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Of course it is. It's a gift for you so you'll never forget me."

The little girl's violet eyes lit up with joy. She reached forward and gently took the card from Jonouchi's hand.

"Harpy's…Pet…Dragon…" she read slowly. She smiled and looked up at Jonouchi. "This is perfect! I can use her with my Harpy Lady!"

"Well, that was_ the basic idea," laughed Jonouchi. "Happy Birthday Mai."_

The young girl named 'Mai' smiled. She took a step forward and planted a kiss on Jonouchi's cheek, causing him to blush.

"Thank you Jonouchi. I'll treasure it always, for as long as we're together. I promise no one will take it away from me."

-End Flashback-

"Brother!" Serenity cried desperately. She continued to wave a hand in front of his eyes to snap him out of his thoughts. Anzu just watched from the side. "Big brother! What's wrong!"

__

'She promise me,' Jonouchi thought, ignoring his sister. _'She promised me no one would take it!'_

"MAI!" Jonouchi suddenly yelled. Rushing forward, he put his hands on the balcony wall, and jumped over the edge. He dropped down to the ground, landing on his feet and causing sand to fly up into the air, before quickly getting up and rushing towards the dragon, blinded by his emotions.

"What are you doing!" Shizuka cried after her brother. "It's too dangerous! Get back here!"

When Jonouchi failed to hear his sister, Shizuka had no options left but to run after him before he did anything dangerous…again. Grabbing the balcony wall with two hands, she stepped over to stand on the small ledge on the other side. Trying not to look down, she turned around so that her back was to the drop behind her, and began to lower herself down. Now hanging in the air, she closed her eyes as she let go of the wall and fell to the dusty ground.

"Shizuka!" Anzu cried, leaning over the edge. She had witnessed the whole event, but had been unable to stop the young girl from jumping. "Are you OK?"

Slowly, Shizuka got up, checking herself over to see if she had any injuries. Thankfully, she did not. After shouting a reply to Anzu, she quickly ran after her brother, calling her name.

"Shizuka!" Anzu cried after the young girl. "Wait! Come back!"

But Shizuka was too far away to hear her. Anzu could only watch as she disappeared after her brother.

"Great," Anzu said to herself. "Now what?"

It was then that the door to the hall suddenly burst open, the remaining tables that barricaded it fell to the ground with a loud 'thump'. Anzu felt the bile in her stomach beginning to rise as she stared at the gruesome monsters that were fast approaching her. She backed up against the balcony. Realising that she had no where else to go, she looked down at the ground, contemplating whether or not to jump.

She soon made up her mind.

__

'If Shizuka can do it, I can do it!' she thought. After taking another look at the height she had to jump, she swallowed, hard.

Putting the Black Magician Girl card back into her pouch, she quickly copied what Shizuka had done and stood on the small ledge on the other side of the balcony wall. She looked back behind her. The Wicked Worm Beasts were now only a few metres away from her.

"Well," she swallowed. "Here goes!"

And just as one of the monsters was about to grab her, Anzu jumped away from the side. She screamed as she fell, the cold wind rushing past her. As the ground came closer into view, she braced herself for the impact. Without warning she hit the ground. She groaned loudly as her back collided with the sand and dust.

Winded from her landing, she lay there for a moment, until she slowly opened her eyes. She checked for any pain as she stood up slowly. There didn't seem to be any injuries. Not any major ones anyway. And as far as she knew she wasn't bleeding. She looked back up at the balcony and saw the Wicked Worm Beasts all gathered at the edge, too scared to jump. She thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't injured.

Looking around, Anzu could clearly see the battle happening by the palace gate walls. She saw three of the Priest's summoning monsters and attacking the enemy. She saw Pharaoh Atemu shouting orders to a four-legged brown creature that looked like Winged Phantom Beast Kimera. And as she spotted another familiar person, she quickly opened up her pouch and pulled out the Black Magician Girl card. She looked longingly at the man below as her grip once again tightened on the card.

"Yuugi…"

-I-

"Now Kimera!" Atemu shouted. He pointed to the nearest enemy monster. "Attack!"

Kimera gave another roar as he flew into the air and attacked the targeted monster. It was destroyed with just one blast. Atemu celebrate as the monster disappeared in a cloud of smoke. But because he was distracted, he failed to notice an attack coming straight towards him.

Someone else however, spotted this attack very quickly.

"Atemu!" Yuugi shouted at his brother, but it was too late for him to move. The fiery ball was closing in fast. Quickly, Yuugi took a trap card from his deck and held it above his head. The card and his pendant began to glow a familiar light.

"I activate," he shouted, "Holy Barrier Mirror Force_(11)_!"

Just as the large fiery ball was about to hit Atemu, and mirror-like shield appeared in front of him and blocked the attack, sending it straight back at the new front line of enemy monsters. They screamed as they were destroyed by their own attack.

Atemu, who had attempted to block himself with his arm, looked up at the sounds of the screams. He looked up just in time to see the holy barrier disappearing, and Yuugi placing the card back in his deck.

"Thank you, Yuugi," he said, giving a sigh of relief.

Yuugi smiled back at his brother, as if saying 'no problem', when he was distracted by two familiar voices shouting from below.

"Brother! Please!" the first voice shouted. It sounded female.

"Mai!" the second voice called. It was a male voice.

"Oh no," Yuugi gasped, instantly recognising those voices. He looked down below and saw Shizuka running and shouting after Jonouchi.

"Jonouchi!" he called to them. "Shizuka!" He spotted an enemy monster preparing to launch an attack at the two siblings. "Come back! Please!"

"Shizuka!" Priest Seto cried in shock, overhearing the Prince. He ran to Yuugi's side, and he too spotted the siblings below.

"Shizuka! No!" He cried as he saw the monster about to launch an attack. Calling his monster with him, he ran down the slope towards the siblings-who had now stopped and were holding each other, due to the monster about to attack them.

"Priest Seto! No!" Yuugi cried.

Priest Seto ignored his Prince and continued to run to the pair below. _'I must protect Shizuka,'_ he thought. He held out his Millennium Rod at the enemy monster.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon!" he shouted at his monster. "Attack!"

Immediately, Seto's Blue Eyes White Dragon opened his mouth, and launched a powerful blue blast at the enemy monster. It hit him right on the heart and stopped his attack. The enemy monster cried out in pain as it disappeared in a puff of smoke. Seto's Blue Eyes also disappeared in a puff of smoke after giving one last powerful roar.

"Shizuka!" Seto shouted, running towards the siblings. "Are you all right?"

"Seto!" Shizuka cried, falling into the Priest's arms. Seto enveloped her into a soft hug and stroked her hair to calm her down.

Jonouchi looked at Seto, a little embarrassed. "Thank you…Priest Seto…"

Seto looked up at the blonde, and smiled kindly at him. Jonouchi smiled back as the barrier between them finally began to break.

Yuugi, who had been distracted and had watched the whole event, sighed a loud sigh of relief as he saw the trio were safe and sound.

"I'm glad they're OK," he said to himself.

"Yuugi! Look out!" Atemu shouted.

Yuugi looked up, and quickly jumped out of the way as a sudden blast hit the ground where he had been standing. He let out a small yell of pain as he landed on his ankle. As the dust caused by the sudden attack began to clear, he slowly began to sit up.

"Yuugi!" Atemu cried at his brother. "Are you all right?"

"I…I think so…Ah!" Yuugi grabbed his right ankle as the pain shot up his leg.

"Yuugi! What's wrong!" Atemu cried again.

"My ankle! I think I've twisted it!"

"Hold on! I'm coming!" But just as Atemu tried to reach his brother, another sudden blast came out of no where and hit the wall next to him. The bricks, already weak from the other attacks, collapsed from the blast and fell to the ground, blocking Atemu's path. He cursed as he realised he couldn't get any where near his brother.

"Yuugi!" he shouted over the rubble. He could barley hear his brother's reply.

Yuugi coughed heavily as the dust from the bricks filled his lungs. Trying to get the dust away from his eyes, he failed to notice a creature approaching him. It was only when the creature gave a gruesome roar that Yuugi noticed the Devil Dragon _(12)_ staring down at him, a murderous look in his eyes.

Yuugi tried to get up, but every time he put some sort of pressure on his ankle, it would buckle in pain. He yelled out in pain a third time as he attempted to stand up, before giving up and looking back into the eyes of the dragon. This was it. This was the end. Yuugi could only watch in horror as the dragon opened his mouth, and fiery ball beginning to form, growing larger and more powerful by the second…

-I-

"Yuugi!" Anzu cried. From her position near the palace, she could see Yuugi face to face with the Devil Dragon. But why wasn't he moving? Why wasn't he getting away? She had seen the wall collapse and knew Atemu couldn't get to him. Instead, he was now getting his monsters to try and reach Yuugi, but the enemy creatures would always launch an attack and stop them in their tracks.

__

'Why isn't he moving!' Anzu though, panicking. Her grip on the Black Magician Girl tightened. _'Why isn't he getting away? Is he…is he hurt? No! He's hurt! He can't escape!'_

Anzu felt her body shake with fear as she watched the Devil Dragon open his mouth, preparing to attack.

"He promised me…" Anzu said quietly to herself. Her voice shook as she spoke. "He promised me he wouldn't leave me…He promised me he would be careful…No…This can't end like this…It can't…I won't let it end like this…" Anzu's crystal necklace began to glow as her emotions became out of control. The Black Magician Girl card in her hand also began to glow, reacting to something inside her heart. "I won't…I won't!"

Below, the dragon has almost finished powering up and was about to launch it's attack…

…But Anzu would not let it attack…

"YUUGIIIII!" she yelled.

Suddenly, Anzu's necklace sent out a powerful blast of energy. Her vision was blurred by a blinding white light, and all the sounds around her suddenly disappeared. She was trapped in a white void. She felt like she was floating. She could no longer touch the ground. The wind felt warm against her skin.

Sensing something to her right, she turned her head and saw a figure appear out of the light. Still blinded by the light, she squinted her eyes as she tried to make out the shape.

"Black Magician Girl?" she said quietly. Her voice echoed in the light.

And then, everything went black…

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

__

(1) heka: Egyptian word for "magic"

(2) Black Magician Girl: Dark Magician Girl

(3) Swordsman of Flames: Flame Swordsman

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(4) Black Magician: Dark Magician

__

(5) Elf Soldier: Celtic Guardian

(6) Supreme Ruler of the Dark Demon World: King of Yamimakai

__

(7) Harpy's Pet Dragon: Harpies Pet Dragon

(8) Beast King Gazelle: Gazelle

(9) Fusion: Polymerisation

(10) Winged Phantom Beast Kimera: Chimera, The Flying Mythical Beast

(11) Holy Barrier Mirror Force: Mirror Force

(12) Devil Dragon: Koumori Dragon

Sorry it took me so long to update, but this chapter was pretty difficult to write. I'll try and update asap but it's going to be hard with school and everything. But I'll try my best, so just be patient OK? Please R&R!


	8. Aftermath

Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update yet again, but I had to finish 'The Pharaoh and Pauper'. Now that it's finished, I can focus on this story more (if school work will give me a break!)

I would like to take a moment to thank all you lovely reviewers:

**ImCrazyAndProudOfIt**

**KaibaYamiLover**

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**Greater Lights**

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**erica**

Thank you all so much! I love reading your reviews! They really make me smile

Now, I bet you're all itching to find out what happens to Anzu, right? Well, get on with reading this chapter then!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks"_

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Long live Peachshipping! holds up banners with 'support peach shipping' written on them

-I-

Another World

Chapter 8: Aftermath

-I-

_Anzu felt herself panic. She was trapped in a void of darkness. She couldn't see, hear, touch, taste or smell everything. All her senses were useless. She tried calling out, but not a sound was heard. She tried moving her arms, but she couldn't feel anything. She was alone, in the darkness. She sensed the tears falling down her cheek, but she could not feel them against her skin…_

_But then she heard something…_

…_Cackling…_

_The fear she felt in her heart increased. She wasn't alone. Someone-or something-was there. The evil, low laughter was echoing all around her. She tried to search for the 'thing' responsible, but all she could see was darkness._

_The cackling stopped, and a voice began to speak._

"_Poor little Anzu," the voice mocked. Anzu was surprised at how cold it sounded and felt a chill run down her body. "All alone in the darkness, with no one to help you…"_

"_Who are you?" Anzu demanded, surprised she could now hear her voice. "What do you want?"_

_Anzu felt something in her right hand, but it was only subtle and soon vanished. The voice laughed again before it continued._

"_What do I want?" it asked. "Why, I thought that would be obvious by now. After all, my plan has been playing out for two years now…"_

_The realisation of who the voice belonged to hit Anzu like a tone of bricks._

"_You…you're the Master," she said fearfully. "You're the one controlling the Empire of Dark Souls."_

_The voice chuckled again. "Took you long enough."_

"_Why are you doing this?" Anzu demanded. "What are you after?"_

"_Another simple question I thought you could answer already. And I bet you can. You know the answers Anzu. Deep in your heart, you know why I'm doing this, and why I'm after you."_

"_After…me?" Anzu asked. She felt something squeeze her hand again, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. She heard a familiar soft voice calling out to her…_

"_Anzu, I'll be back as soon as I can," it said. "Please, just hold on…"_

_The new voice was bringing her back to the 'real world'. She felt herself rushing back. She sensed herself beginning to wake up. But she couldn't go, not yet. She wasn't finished._

"_Why are you after me!" Anzu shouted to the disappearing darkness. "What are you planning?"_

_The voice laughed again, before answering in a fading voice…_

"_You'll find out soon enough…angel…"_

Anzu opened her eyes and bolted up. Her breathing was heavy, and cold sweat dripped from her forehead and under her arms. She held onto her crystal necklace with one hand, feeling safe in its presence. She calmed down, thankful her necklace was still there. If anything had happen to it she didn't know what she would do. As she took deep breaths to get her breath back, she tried to get her bearings.

By the looks of it, she was back in her room in the palace. She could see her belongings neatly placed on a dressing table next to the wall. She saw her the pouch containing her Duel Monster cards on small table beside her bed. She picked up the pouch and looked inside: her deck was still there. She checked the cards to see if any were missing. They weren't. Even the Black Magician Girl card was there, right at the top of her deck.

Anzu sighed as she looked at the image of the Black Magician Girl. She couldn't remember much from the battle against the Empire of Dark Souls. She remembered the ball, and the monsters attacking the city. She remembered seeing Yuugi in danger, and then a bright light. Everything else is just a blank. She couldn't remember anything else after seeing the Black Magician Girl appear. She didn't even know how long she had been unconscious.

'_But,' _she thought, '_was it really Black Magician Girl? Or was I just seeing things? Or, maybe…could it have all been a dream?'_

Placing her deck back on her bedside table, her hand brushed against something. She looked down and saw a folded up piece of parchment. There was something written on the front in neat writing. Anzu picked it up and examined it.

"Is…this for me?" she asked to herself.

Her question was soon answered when she spotted her name written on the front. She unfolded the parchment and saw a message written inside. Even though she had never seen this language or text before, she could read the writing like it was written in plain Japanese. It was strange, yes, but stranger things had happened to her these past few days. Shifting her position slightly to catch the sunlight, she began to read:

_Dear Anzu,_

_If you're reading this, then that must mean you're awake. I'm glad you're all right. I was really worried about you. I didn't want to lose you, not when we had just met. There are still so many things I want to tell and show you. The Gods must have heard my prayer and allowed us more time together. I'm glad._

_I am sorry I couldn't be there for when you woke up. Atemu wanted to hold an emergency assembly to discuss what happened last night and what we should do next. I didn't want to leave you, truly I didn't. But I had to, being that I am the Prince._

_I made sure to have some food left out for you for when you wake up. You've been unconscious for over twelve hours, so you must be hungry!_

Anzu looked up at the dressing table and saw the food on the tray. She smiled when she heard her stomach growl. She licked her lips hungrily before reading the rest of the letter.

_Anyway, if you're feeling better, I was hoping you could meet me in the main garden. I've asked Shizuka if she could help you get there since you may not know where it is. I hope that is all right with you. I'll try and leave the assembly as quick as I can so you don't have to wait long. If you're still feeling weak, then don't worry about getting up. I'll come and visit you. That is, if you want me to._

_Well, I think I blabbed on for long enough! I hope you're feeling better Anzu, and I look forward to seeing you soon._

_Yuugi_

_X_

Anzu blushed. Yuugi was so kind to her, she sometimes felt she didn't deserve it. After all, she was keeping secrets from him. She had toyed with the idea of telling Yuugi about her visions and dreams (that seemed to be increasing recently, and becoming true), but she would always decide against it. She didn't want to burden Yuugi with her problems. That would be asking too much.

Folding the letter up neatly and placing it in her pouch with her deck, Anzu pushed back the covers and stood up. She stretched her body, getting rid of all the aches and pains. She looked down at her clothes and saw she was still wearing the gown Yuugi had bought for her. The jewellery she had borrowed from Priest Isis had been taken off and placed on another table in the room. Anzu slipped off the dress and examined it quickly. She sighed in relief when she saw it wasn't damaged in anyway.

She reached for her backpack and tipped her clothes onto her bed. After rummaging through, she decided on an outfit to wear. She changed out of her dirty undergarments and put on clean ones, before dressing in a black sleeveless top, a short red skirt and a pair of white boots (1). As she brushed her hair, she looked in the mirror and groaned.

'_I really need more practical clothes.'_

After brushing her hair, Anzu picked up her Duel Monster pouch and attached it around her waist, threading it onto a small belt. Once she was dressed, she picked up some food off the tray and walked over to her balcony. Leaning on the archway, she munched on the fruit and bread whilst looking at the scene before her.

By the looks of the it, it seemed to be early afternoon. The hot sun was shinning down on the city, making the water of the river that flowed through Illuminarta glisten in its light. Anzu was a little surprised as she looked out to the city below. She expected there to be a lot more damage to the buildings. In fact, the city didn't look that much different to before the attacks. The only main areas that were damaged were the wall surrounding the city, and the wall surrounding the palace. Apart from that, everything else seemed…normal…

…If you could call travelling to another world that looked like Ancient Egypt normal.

People in the city were already starting to repair the damages made. People of all shapes and sizes were working together, making bricks of mud and straw to rebuild the walls and few buildings that had been damaged. They looked happy, as far as Anzu could tell from the distance she was. No one seemed angry or upset. She guessed everyone had managed to escape, and no one had been killed. But that was only a guess.

As Anzu continued to watch the people below, she became lost in her mind. Her thoughts soon came to the strange dream "conversation" she had had with the leader of the Empire of Dark Souls.

'_What does he want with me? Am I really so important that he has to come to me in my dreams? But…what makes me so different from everyone else? Yuugi and the others are the ones with magical powers. As far as I know, I don't have any. Although, Yuugi did say on the day I met him that he sensed something inside of me…But, that's impossible. I'm just a typical, normal girl from Domino. I'm nothing special. There's just no way…So, why can't I shake his words out of my head?'_

There was a soft knock at the door. Anzu blinked a couple of times as she was brought back to the present. Straightening up, she looked towards the door.

"Come in," she announced.

The door creaked open and a young girl slipped into the room. She closed the door gently and bowed before Anzu, before straightening up and smiling to the young girl.

"Good afternoon, Anzu," Shizuka greeted in her usual cheery way.

"Good afternoon, Shizuka," Anzu greeted back.

"I am glad to see you are awake. You had us all worried, especially Prince Yuugi."

Anzu blushed at the last comment. "Y-Yuugi…was worried…a-about me?" She stuttered.

Shizuka giggled. "Yes, he was. To be honest, I have never seen him so worried before. He stayed by your side the whole night and for most of the morning, holding your hand so you weren't alone. He did not want to leave you when he was called to the assembly."

Anzu couldn't help but smile at this thought. So the sensation she had felt in her right hand during the night was Yuugi holding her hand. And the familiar voice she had heard…

"_Anzu, I'll be back as soon as I can," it said. "Please, just hold on…"_

Well, it was obvious now that that was Yuugi.

'_Even after everything that happened yesterday, he still kept his promise. He didn't leave me alone.'_

Shizuka blinked as she watched Anzu. Her eyes were blank, as if she was in her own little world. This scared Shizuka slightly, for she wasn't used to this type of behaviour from someone. She still wasn't used to Anzu's strange clothes.

"Err, Anzu…are you all right?" Shizuka asked carefully.

Anzu blinked a few times as she was once again brought back down to Earth.

"What?…Oh!" Anzu exclaimed. "Yes, I'm fine Shizuka. Gomen!"

Shizuka gave a blank stare. Anzu laughed and stuck out her tongue, embarrassed.

"Gomen," Anzu repeated. "It means "sorry" where I come from."

Shizuka nodded, now understanding what Anzu was on about. Her smile appeared on her lips again.

"I must remember that," she said cheerfully. "Maybe one day you can teach me more things about your world. But right now, we need to go and meet Prince Yuugi. If you would like to follow me…"

Shizuka gracefully walked out the room and began to make her way down the corridor. Anzu made sure she had everything she needed with her, then quickly followed Shizuka towards the garden. She felt small butterflies in her stomach. She was excited about seeing Yuugi.

The two girls walked through the sunlit corridors, turning this way and that. Anzu noticed the servants they past were avoiding her more than they were before. Anzu felt slightly uncomfortable about this, but didn't show it. She was used to people staring and whispering about her by now. After all, she was from a different world. And by the looks on their faces, Anzu couldn't help but feel that what ever happened last night was linked to her. She had done something they were afraid of, but what?

Shizuka came to the end of a corridor and turned right, walking straight past the entrance to the "assembly room" (as Anzu called it) and towards the archway to the garden. Anzu was a small distance behind, and soon turned the corner just as Shizuka had done. She came towards the door to the "assembly room" and noticed it was slightly ajar. She would have walked straight past it, if she hadn't had heard her name…

"Anzu is not like us!" a voice shouted. Anzu recognised it as Priest Seto's voice. "She is demon and cannot be trusted-"

"How _dare_ you say that!" a second voice retaliated. Anzu instantly recognised Yuugi's voice and felt herself leaning closer to the door. She looked inside the hall. All the Priests (and the Keepers of the Millennium Items) were gathered around a rectangular stone table, with Pharaoh Atemu seated in a throne at the end. Yuugi, of course, had been placed next to him. At this moment in time, both he and Priest Seto were standing up as their argument continued. Atemu had his head in his hands as the shouting continued.

"Anzu is a kind and gentle person," Yuugi continued, still shouting. "Of course she can be trusted. She is the most trustworthy person I have ever known!"

"But how can you be sure of that?" Priest Seto asked angrily. "You saw what she did last night! That is not normal! She does not even have a Millennium Item, and yet you saw what she did-"

"If she hadn't had done it, I would have been killed. We all would and you know it!"

"That is a lie!"

"No it's not, it's the truth! Without her, we all would have perished, and the Empire of Dark Souls would have won, destroying the Kingdom of Light and what is left of Kemet!"

"ENOUGH!" Pharaoh Atemu shouted, standing up out of this throne. Yuugi and Seto immediately silenced themselves, though one could tell by the looks on their faces that they were far from done.

Atemu looked at the two figures, before clearing his throat to speak.

"This argument has gone on for long enough," he said sternly. He turned to face Seto. "Priest Seto, I agree with you that Anzu is suspicious. Naturally one would think this, since she is not from our world and not one of us. But like Yuugi said, you know as well as I do that without her last night we would have fallen to the Empire of Dark Souls. She saved us, and we owe her our lives." Atemu turned to face his brother and spoke in a gentler voice. "Is she aware of what she did last night?"

"The last time I was with her she was still unconscious," Yuugi answered sadly. "But I doubt she knows what she did. When it happened, she looked like she was in some sort if trance, so I do not think she'll remember much."

"Then it is up to you to tell her," Atemu said. He turned to face the whole room. "Anzu is unlike anyone we have ever encountered before. It seems she has powers far greater than our own that even she did not know about. But we cannot be certain about this. Therefore, I want all of you to keep a closer eye on her. The Empire of Dark Souls may come after her, or she may use her powers against us for some reason."

"Anzu would never do that," Yuugi said. "She would never betray us!"

Atemu looked at his twin and sighed. "I want to believe that, Yuugi. I truly do. I want to believe in her like you do. But after last night, I can't take any risks. Therefore, you must-"

"Anzu!" Shizuka called from down the corridor. She had sensed Anzu missing and had turned to find her outside the "assembly room" door. "Are you coming or not?"

Anzu, although she didn't want to leave (she wanted to find out what Yuugi had to do), looked up at Shizuka and nodded. She quickly and quietly closed the door (missing what the others were now discussing) and turned round to catch up with Shizuka. Unfortunately, she only managed to take two steps before bumping into someone.

Anzu and the person she walked into both stumbled backwards, before they both gained their footing and stood up straight. Anzu rubbed her head, since it was sore from the collision, before speaking.

"Sorry about that," she said, still rubbing her head. "I didn't see you there. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Anzu looked up, but found no one was there. Confused, she looked up and down the corridor. She had definitely bumped into someone, she had heard them groan as the wind was knocked out of him. She looked behind her and caught the glimpse of someone hurriedly turning the corner. She caught a glimpse of their pale hair, before they disappeared from sight. Still confused, Anzu continued to look in the direction of where the person went, before she heard Shizuka calling her again and went to catch up with her. When she finally caught up with the young girl and they were both making their way to the main garden again, Anzu couldn't help but feel like she was being watched.

-I-

'_That was too close,' _ solider one of Unit A-given the codename "1A" for short- heard the 'Master' say in his mind. He was using his 'secret weapon' to see through his mind again. '_You were just lucky she didn't notice us slip out the hall.'_

"1A" swallowed nervously. '_I apologise, Master.'_ he said in his mind. ' _I did not realise she was there until it was too late.'_

'_There's no time for that, you idiot!' _The 'Master' shouted at his servant. '_We have to follow the girl. She is the key to everything! If we lose her now, we lose everything we've worked so hard for. Now go! Find a place in the garden so I know what is going on. And don't mess this up.'_

"1A" nodded obediently at his instructions and at the warning, before running off to find a place to hide in the garden. Knowing that he didn't have much time, he slipped down a small alley way-like corridor next to him.

Jogging down the corridor, his footsteps echoing on the stone, he swiftly turned this way and that. He knew exactly which direction he should take, and turned the corners without a second thought. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity in the dark corridor, he emerged out the other end. He shielded his eyes against the bright sunlight as he took in the sights around him.

He was now standing on a balcony, high above the garden below. He held onto one of the large pillars that littered the balcony and looked down. The garden was even more beautiful in the afternoon. The flowers were in full bloom, the trees were full of fruit, and everything looked peaceful. The only sound came from the small stream that ran around the garden and into the large pool at the bottom.

It didn't take long for "1A" to spot the two girls he was following. They happened to be sitting on a small ledge next to the pool. Quickly and as quietly as possible, he dashed into the shadows of the pillars to the end of the balcony, so that he could hear them better. Hiding behind the end pillar, he listened in on their conversation…

-I-

"You…You want to know about Mai?" Shizuka repeated.

"Well…yeah," Anzu said uneasily, regretting that she had asked the question. Keeping her gaze away from Shizuka's, she looked around the garden at the beautiful flowers. She couldn't help but wonder how these flowers grew in a place surrounded by sand. "It's just that, since I got here, everyone seems to have mentioned this "Mai" person at least once. And after what Jonouchi did last night…well, I guess you could say I'm curious."

She looked at Shizuka through the corner of her eye and saw the pained looked on her face.

"But you don't have to, if you don't want to!" Anzu said quickly, waving her hands in the air. "I mean, I don't want to intrude-"

"No, no! It's fine, really," Shizuka interrupted, but in a gentle voice. She sighed and looked at the floor. "It's strange. Even though I do not know you very well, something in my heart is urging me to tell you about Mai. I _want _to tell you what happened. Do you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do," Anzu smiled. "I get this kind of stuff a lot."

Shizuka giggled. "Anyway, you have a right to know about Mai. You _did_ save us last night."

Anzu blinked at the last comment, but didn't say anything. She let Shizuka continue.

"Years ago, when we were all still young children, Mai and my brother were arranged to be married. Our families had been close for generations, and a marriage between the two families had always been discussed. It was about time it finally happened…

"But even though my brother and Mai knew about the marriage, that didn't matter to them. They were always the best of friends, always together. They were inseparable. Soon, that friendship developed into love." Shizuka smiled at the happy memories. "Those were some of the best days of my life. You know, he even gave Mai a card as a gift. You see, Mai was training to be a female guard so she could work beside my brother. She was always so strong and powerful, and I admired her for that."

"What card did he give her?"

"The Harpy's Pet Dragon card. Mai was always a Harpy Lady fan. Jonouchi gave that to her the day they found out they were arranged to be wed. That was when he was five years old. Mai promised him she would always treasure that card, and never let anyone take it away from her. And she kept that promise, until two years ago…

"When the Empire of Dark Souls first attacked us that night, no one was prepared. Everyone was running and screaming, not knowing what to do or where to go. It was horrible. The Pharaoh at the time, Pharaoh Atemu's and Prince Yuugi's father, immediately ordered all the guards to protect the city. And since Mai and my brother had almost finished their training at 14, they were called up to attack the monsters. They were doing so well, until one of the followers of the Empire had his monster attack Mai directly. She was knocked unconscious instantly. While she was out, they came and took her away, taking her deck with her…

"Jonouchi saw what happened, and tried desperately to help her. He did everything he could to get her back, but it was no use. He was hit on the head and knocked unconscious too. When he woke up, they were long gone…"

Shizuka felt the tears falling down her cheeks as the painful memories filled her head. She clenched her fists and tried to hold them back.

"It's not fair! Why Mai? She did nothing to them! She was always so kind, so gentle. She was like…like…like a sister to me! Why!"

Shizuka finally broke into tears, unable to hold them back anymore. Anzu immediately jumped up and enveloped the young girl in a hug.

"Shizuka," she soothed, trying to calm her down.

"Why? Why!" Shizuka cried. "Why won't she come back? Is she…is she dead? Have they killed her?"

"You can't think like that Shizuka," Anzu said reassuringly. "Of _course_ she's alive. She _will_ come back soon, she _will_. You just have to have faith, OK? If you believe in your heart that she's alive, then she is. Believe that she'll come back, and she will. I promise you she'll come back soon."

Slowly, Shizuka's sobs began to calm down. "O…OK. Thank you Anzu."

"No problem," Anzu said softly. "I'm always here if you need me."

The two girls sat in silence under the afternoon sun. Anzu continue to hold Shizuka in her arms, comforting her like she was her own little sister. Shizuka's sobs soon died down until only a few silent tears rolled down her cheek. Not a word was said, until…

"Well, you two look cosy," a friendly voice said behind them. The two girls jumped and looked up at Prince Yuugi. "Are you all right?"

Shizuka dried her tears on her sleeve and smiled up at the Prince.

"We're both fine, your highness," she said gently. "Anzu was just helping me defeat some inner demons."

"Really?" Yuugi asked, slightly amused and slightly curious. "And did it work, if I may ask?"

Shizuka nodded. "Yes. Anzu's managed to help me let go of the past. I feel a lot better now, thanks to her."

"I'm glad to hear it," Yuugi said, sitting down next to Anzu. He leaned over so he could see Shizuka's face. "Before I forget, I have a message for you. Priest Seto is looking for you and would like to see you. He should be in his chambers now the assembly has finished, if you would like to see him."

Shizuka nodded her head in silence before standing up. She bowed to both Prince Yuugi and Anzu, before walking off to find her beloved. Anzu and Yuugi watched her leave the garden, leaving them all alone together.

"I'm happy to see you are all right, Anzu," Yuugi said cheerfully. Anzu turned around and smiled.

It was then that something clicked in her head. She remembered something from last night. When Yuugi was about to be attacked by the Devil Dragon but couldn't move. It was because he injured his ankle. She looked down at his right ankle and saw it was wrapped in a bandage, but did not seem to be causing him any pain.

"I'm happy to see you're OK too, Yuugi," Anzu said. "I was really worried last night when you couldn't escape. Is your ankle OK?"

Yuugi looked down at the bandage. "Yes, it's fine. Priest Isis used the Holy Elf (2) to heal most of it. It's only a small sprain. It should be fine in a few days time. But that is not important." He shook his head and looked up at Anzu. "What is most important is _you_. Are you sure you are all right? You have no injuries, do you?"

Anzu shook her head. "No, I'm fine Yuugi. Really I am. I have no injuries at all." She sighed heavily. "But, I don't remember much about last night."

"I thought you wouldn't," Yuugi said. He shifted closer to Anzu. "What was the last thing you remember?"

"Well," Anzu began, racking her brains trying to remember what happened last night. "I remember seeing you on the floor, unable to move because of your ankle. The Devil Dragon was about to attack you, and I didn't want it to. I didn't want to lose you…The next thing I remember is a bright light. I thought I saw Black Magician Girl next to me, but before I got a second look I blacked out."

She rested her forehead on her cupped hands, leaning forward slightly. Yuugi saw she was upset, and put an arm around her for comfort.

"After that," Anzu finished, "I don't remember _anything._ But…when I was unconscious, I could feel someone holding my hand and talking to me. That voice made me feel safe, and helped me to wake up." She lifted her head and smiled at the young Prince. "Shizuka told me that was you."

Yuugi blushed. "Err…yes…it was." He looked away slightly. "I was worried about you, and I didn't want to lose you either. Besides, I made you a promise that I would never leave you alone."

"And you kept that promise. Thank you so much Yuugi."

Yuugi smiled at the brunette, and she smiled back.

"Yuugi, could you tell me what happened last night? Can you tell me what I did?"

"Of course I can," Yuugi answered gently. "You were amazing last night Anzu, and you deserve to know the truth." He took a deep breath before beginning his story. "After that blast caused me to injure my ankle, and I was unable to move out the way of the Devil Dragon's attack, I found myself thinking the worst…"

-_Flashback-_

_Yuugi tried to get up, but every time he put some sort of pressure on his ankle, it would buckle in pain. Yuugi yelled out in pain the third time he attempted to stand up, before giving up and looking back into the eyes of the dragon. This was it. This was the end. Yuugi could only watch in horror as the dragon opened his mouth, and fiery ball beginning to form, growing larger and more powerful by the second…_

'Anzu,' _he thought. _'I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to you. I hope you can forgive me…'

_Soon, the Devil Dragon's attack was at its strongest. Knowing what was to come next, Yuugi covered his head with his arms, his heart stopping, waiting for the inevitable pain…_

_A moment passed, and Yuugi found himself uninjured still (besides the ankle). Hearing a scream of pain (that to him did not sound human), he slowly lowered his arms and opened his eyes. What he saw was completely unexpected by the young prince._

_The Devil Dragon, along with all the other monsters from the Empire of Dark Souls, had somehow managed to stop their attacks. Instead of attacking the palace, they were now looking up with fear at a bright light coming from behind Yuugi._

_Warily, aware that his heart beat had now increased dramatically, Yuugi slowly turned around behind him in search for the source of the enchanting light. He gave a sharp gasp as he and the people of Illuminarta gazed upon the unexpected source of light._

"_Anzu?" Yuugi whispered under his breath._

_At that moment, Anzu was emitting the incandescent light that was scaring the monsters off. Yuugi could sense her giving off a powerful aura. Somehow, she was hovering in midair, and although he was some distance away, Yuugi could just see her blank, white, glowing eyes. Her crystal necklace around her neck was glowing too. Beside her, a second figure could now be seen. A familiar female figure dressed in a pale blue and pink outfit, with matching boots, gloves and hat. She had long, flowing blonde hair, and large emerald green eyes. In her hand, she held a blue staff with a yellow ball attached at the end._

"_Black Magician Girl?"_

_As soon as Yuugi spoke the creatures name, her mistress suddenly moved. Anzu slowly raised her arm and pointed at the enemy monsters. Nodding as she understood her mistress's instructions, the Black Magician Girl flew forward, her staff ready in her hand, a determined look on her face._

_Yuugi watched in amazement as the Black Magician Girl began to attack the enemy monsters one by one. He gasped as he watch them all disappear in a blink of an eye, the Black Magician Girl never losing any of her strength. This was unbelievable! Nothing like this had ever happened before. It was a miracle!_

_Soon, Black Magician Girl had destroyed every one of the enemy monsters and flew back to Anzu. When she was only metres away, she disappeared in another burst of light and flew back into the card Anzu was holding in her hand. _

_Anzu smiled down at the card, before the smile immediately faded. Giving a groan of exhaustion, she felt herself slowly falling to the ground. The powerful aura around her disappeared as quickly as it had some, along with the bright light. She collapsed on the floor, unconscious, the light and aura completely gone. She still held onto the Black Magician Girl card in her hand._

"_ANZU!"_

_Seeing Anzu collapsed, Yuugi quickly got up, trying to ignore the pain shooting up his leg from his ankle. Limping, he made his way back to the palace, were Anzu lay…_

-End Flashback-

"…When I finally got up there, you were still unconscious. I took you back to your room and placed you on your bed, making sure you were comfortable. Like Shizuka said before, I never left your side. I wanted to make sure you were all right. I didn't want to lose you, not when we had only just gotten to know each other. There's still so much I want to share with you."

Anzu sat in shock. She just couldn't take in what Yuugi was saying. How was she to believe that last night she had somehow used some sort of magical powers to summon the Black Magician Girl and destroy all the enemy monsters? There were thousands of monsters last night. Not one magician was able to defeat them all alone. And besides that, Anzu didn't know how to use any magic. It was impossible! But she knew Yuugi wasn't lying to her. He never would. So what he was saying had to be true…didn't it?

She rested her head on her palm. This was all too much to take in.

Yuugi saw her lean forward with a confused look on her face. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Not really," Anzu said truthfully. "I'm finding all this hard to believe." She looked up at him. "Are you sure it was me that did that last night? Are you positive that _I _summoned Black Magician Girl and saved Illuminarta?"

"Of course I am," Yuugi said, laying his hand on top of Anzu's. "I would never lie to you."

"And is that why everyone is staring at me today? And why Priest Seto was so eager to get rid of me?"

Yuugi immediately pulled his hand away. "You…you heard that?"

Anzu nodded.

Yuugi sighed. "You weren't suppose to hear that."

"No, I wasn't, but I'm glad I did." Anzu held Yuugi's hand with her own. "If I hadn't, then I wouldn't have heard you stand up for me. Yuugi, you truly are a wonderful friend. I'm glad I met you."

Yuugi looked up at the brunette and blinked. He tried to hide the small blush on his face. "Thank you Anzu," he smiled. "That means a lot to me. You're a wonderful friend too. After what you did last night, I would say you're the most amazing person in the whole of Kemet."

Anzu let go of Yuugi's hand and blushed. "I wouldn't say I'm _that_ good Yuugi-"

"But you are!" Yuugi protested. He stood up. "And I'm going to prove it. I'm going to train you so you can use your powers just like I can."

Anzu blinked. Twice. "What?"

Yuugi giggled. "I'm going to teach you how to control your magic so you can use it whenever you want."

"But Yuugi, I don't know if I can…" A thought came into her mind. Could this be what Pharaoh Atemu wanted Yuugi to do earlier?

"Of course you can, Anzu," Yuugi said encouragingly. He knelt down and looked her in the eye. "I believe you can."

Anzu looked into Yuugi's amethyst eyes. Unable to resist his cute face, she smiled and nodded, agreeing to Yuugi's plan.

Giving a small cry of joy, Yuugi pulled Anzu up so they were both standing. He placed her so she was two metres directly in front of him, and made sure they were face to face.

"Before we start, we need to decide which card we will use to start off. I suggest you choose a low level monster, since they will be easier to summon."

"O-K." Anzu took out her deck and shuffled through, until she found the right monster. "I choose this one: Petit Angel (3)."

"Petit Angel it is. Now, first of all, hold the card above your head, like you've seen me do before…That's it! Now, close your eyes. You have to concentrate really hard. Focus on nothing except that card in your hand. Imagine it coming to life. Imagine it being right in front of you…"

Anzu tried to concentrate. She really did. She tried so hard to concentrate on seeing the Petit Angel in front of her, but all it did was give her a large headache, and a strange sensation around her heart.

After a few moments, she sighed and dropped her hand. "Yuugi, I can't do this. It's too hard."

"Anzu, this is only your first try. It's bound to be hard. Do not give up so easily. Let's try again. Now, concentrate…"

Anzu tried again, focusing only on the card, draining out all the sounds around her. She felt another strange sensation in her heart, like something was trying to come out. But her concentration was soon broken by the sound of Yuugi gasping.

"What? What is it?" Anzu asked urgently, looking around.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to break your concentration. It's just that your card began to glow, and that has never happened to someone on their second try before." '_Her magic must be really strong.' _

"Really? It glowed?" Anzu hopefully.

Yuugi nodded. "Did you feel something around your heart just then, when you were concentrating?" Anzu nodded. "Well, that is what's suppose to happen. Your magic comes from your heart. What you felt there was your magic coming out of you, going into the card. You need to increase that power so the monster can cross from its own world into ours. And I know you'll do it this time. So, lets try one more time. Close your eyes, and concentrate…"

Anzu closed her eyes and concentrated on the card again. This time, she found it easier to focus her mind on the card, and she soon felt the magic from her heart increasing. Suddenly, she felt a small jolt from her heart, but not a painful one. She felt something appear in front of her. Slowly she opened her eyes…

…and saw the Petit Angel flying in front of her.

Anzu gasped happily.

"I did it! I did it!" she cheered, Petit Angel sharing her joy, flying around in a large circle. "I did it Yuugi! I summoned a monster!"

"Yes! You did!" Yuugi cheered. "I'm so proud of you Anzu!"

Without warning, Anzu came up to Yuugi and enveloped him into a large hug. Yuugi turned a bright shade of red as Anzu's lips briefly brushed against his cheeks. His heart was racing.

After a few moments, Anzu realised what she had done and let go of Yuugi. Blushing, she apologised to Yuugi, who only laughed kindly.

-I-

Over the next few days, Yuugi continued to train Anzu, and was amazed at how quickly she progressed. Everyday they would go out into the main garden and immediately begin the lesson. Within three days, she was able to summon more powerful monsters and use trap and magic cards to help them. It had taken him almost two years to master these skills himself. He couldn't help but feel proud towards the brunette, and Anzu always wanted to make him happy so she always tried her best. Their bond soon began to grow, though neither of them realised this as much as other people did.

Someone who did notice this, though, was "1A". Everyday he would go to the same hiding place and spy on the couple, making sure to report everything he saw to his 'Master'. The 'Master' was very pleased with Anzu's progress, and soon started putting Phase Three of his plan into action…

On the fourth day since starting their training, Anzu had manage to summon Black Magician Girl on her second attempt. She was full of joy at the sight of the female magician, and soon found herself playing games with her. Yuugi laughed as he watched them, leaning on a tree. But a sound soon caught his attention and he stopped laughing to hear it more clearly. He strained his ears to try and identify the sound.

Anzu noticed Yuugi had suddenly gone quiet. He had a strange look on his face. Like he was trying to work something out. With the Black Magician Girl closely behind her, she walked up to him.

"Yuugi?"

"Shh!" Yuugi said, covering Anzu's mouth with his hand. Anzu had a sudden feeling of deja-vu. "Do you hear that?"

At first, Anzu heard nothing. But as she listened more closely, she began to hear it.

It sounded like a whistle, and it was coming closer.

"Look out!" Yuugi yelled.

Anzu felt herself being pushed to the ground, then felt Yuugi on top of her. Before she could do or say anything, something whizzed passed their heads and landed with a soft 'thud' in the ground a few feet away from them. Now she had definitely experienced something like this before. It was back at the oasis, where she and Yuugi had first met. As she felt Yuugi getting off of her, she had a feeling she knew what to expect.

She slowly stood up, and looked around, trying to find the 'thing' that had gone passed her head. Anzu soon found the 'thing', and she was not happy to see how close it was to where she sat…again

Another arrow.

"Holy shit," she muttered. "Not again." She looked up at her creature. "Black Magician Girl! Try and find the person who shot this!"

Black Magician Girl nodded, before flying into the air and over the wall, in search of the archer. Anzu watched her go, before turning back to Yuugi. He was holding some sort of folded up parchment in his hand.

"What is that?" She asked, approaching the Prince.

"I'm not sure," Yuugi answered. "There's no name on it. I wonder who it's for?"

"Mistress Anzu!" A sweet voice called. Anzu and Yuugi looked up and saw Black Magician Girl flying towards them. "I am sorry, but I could not see anyone. They must have already escaped."

"OK," said Anzu. "Thank you for trying Black Magician Girl." Black Magician Girl nodded, before disappearing back into her card. Anzu replaced the card back into her pouch. She turned back towards Yuugi, who was now reading the parchment. Worry and anxiety were embedded on his face.

"Yuugi, are you OK?"

Yuugi's face went pale as he continued to read.

"T-This is from…the Empire of Dark Souls. I-it is for…for my brother…for Atemu…"

Before Anzu could react to this, Yuugi suddenly bolted. He ran towards the palace and disappeared inside. Calling after him, Anzu ran to catch up with him. Luckily, since her legs were slightly longer, she soon managed to catch up to him, just as he was running into the assembly room.

Yuugi ignored the cries of the guards around him and pushed open the doors, running inside. She sensed Anzu following him, but he didn't stop.

"Atemu!"

Pharaoh Atemu, along with the 6 Priests in the room with him, looked up at the sound of the familiar voice. Atemu stood up and walked away from his throne upon seeing his brother's worried expression. He could see he was holding something in his hand. A parchment of some sort. He walked up to his brother, who stopped in front of him, trying to catch his breath. He noticed Anzu was behind him, but he ignored her as best he could without being noticed by Yuugi.

"Yuugi, what is it?" Atemu asked his twin. "Is something wrong?"

Yuugi answered by holding up the piece of parchment. Atemu looked at it for a moment, before carefully taking it from his brother's hand.

"What is this?" he asked.

"It came a few moments ago. An arrow landed in the garden. This was attached to it. It…it is from the Empire of Dark Souls."

Upon hearing this, Atemu let out a sharp gasp, before unfolding the parchment and reading what the note had to say. As he read it through, he felt the colour disappear from his cheeks and his face went white, just as Yuugi's had. He felt himself go weak at the knees from the shock.

Seeing the look on their Pharaoh's face, the Priest's began to worry.

"My Pharaoh," Priest Isis spoke first. "What does it say?"

Atemu swallowed before reading out the note.

"'Pharaoh of the Kingdom of Light, it is time we settle our differences. Come to our palace so we can discuss some sort of agreement. You must come alone, or your people will suffer. The Empire of Dark Souls awaits your arrival'…"

There was long silence, before the people in the room: The Priests and Honda (who had entered the hall after seeing Yuugi run in) protested against the note.

"How _dare _they do this!" Priest Seto said, outraged. "Are they mocking us?"

"They certainly like to take risks," Priest Shada spoke up. "The question is do we take the risk as well?"

"No! We cannot!" Seto shouted, again. "It is obviously a trap! We cannot go through with this."

"I agree with Seto," mumbled Priest Akunadin. "The Empire of Dark Souls are planning us as fools. They are leading us into a trap that is sure to bring doom upon us."

"But there may not be another way," Priest Mahado said. "Although we all know it is a trap, it may be the only way we can stop this war. This may be our only chance to save what is left of Kemet."

"But what about the Pharaoh?" Priest Karim asked. "We cannot put him in danger."

"We need to decide a plan of action," Priest Shada said. "We need to come up with a plan that will satisfy both sides of the party."

"But it is not up to us to decide," Priest Isis spoke calmly. "The Pharaoh must make this important decision."

The whole room turned towards the Pharaoh. Atemu sighed. He hated it when the pressure was put on him like this. But, his Priest's were right. Even though this was obviously a trap, there was only one thing they could do.

"I'm afraid we have no choice," he spoke solemnly. "Even though we can all see that this is a trap set up by the Empire of Dark Souls, we must obey. This may be the only chance we have to stop all this pointless fighting. So, I must go and see them at once."

Everyone in the room (including Anzu) nodded in agreement. They all knew this was the only way to ensure peace to Kemet. Even though not all of them agreed to the decision, they had to obey their Pharaoh. Unfortunately, one person refused to agree.

"I'm going with you," Yuugi spoke up.

"Yuugi, you are not allowed." Atemu said sadly. "I know you mean well, but you cannot join me on this mission"

"Yes I can! You're not going alone, Atemu! I will not let you."

"Yuugi, you cannot come," Atemu said more sternly. "It says that I must go alone. Otherwise, who knows what they will do? They could kill you for all I know!"

"I don't care! I'm not letting the only family I have left go into the enemies territory alone."

"Yuugi, please. Don't do this. You need to stay here and rule the kingdom whilst I am gone. You know you are the only one I trust to do that."

"No! I will not do it!"

"Yuugi. You must listen to me. Not only as your Pharaoh but as your brother. You must stay here. I don't want you to get hurt-"

"And I don't want you to get hurt either!" Yuugi was almost shouting now. "That is why I'm coming-"

"Yuugi…"

"-with you. I have to come with you-"

"Yu_ugi_…"

"-and you can't do anything to stop me-"

"YUUGI YOU ARE NOT COMING WITH ME!" Yuugi immediately silenced himself. Atemu continued. "You will obey me and stay here where you will be safe. You will rule over the Kingdom until I return. Is that understood? Answer your Pharaoh!"

A stunned silence fell across the room. Never, in sixteen years had the Pharaoh and his brother argued like this. Yuugi only stared angrily at his brother, who started back at him with his infamous don't-you-even-try-it gaze. Yuugi felt the angry tears form in his eyes. How could Atemu talk to him like that? They were brothers. Twins. He was his 'other half'. Atemu was the only family he had left. And he wasn't going to let him throw himself to the enemy.

Controlled by his emotions, Yuugi bolted from the room. Warm tears were streaming down his face as he ran down the stone corridor. Servants dodged out the way as he ran past them, not looking were he was going.

Anzu made a move to go after him, but Priest Isis held out her arm in front of her and stopped her.

"Let him be," she said softly but sternly.

Anzu looked up at the Priestess, before looking back out the door Yuugi had run out of. '_Yuugi…'_

Atemu continued to stare at the open doors. His anger towards his brother was indescribable. How _dare_ he disobey him like that. Not only was Atemu Yuugi's (slightly) older brother, but he was also the Pharaoh of the Kingdom of Light. He was a mortal form of the Great Gods like Ra. Speaking of the Gods, they will not be happy with Yuugi's behaviour. They would not forgive him easily, and neither would Atemu. Rage still pumping through his vains, he turned around and walked back to his throne.

"Tell the servants to prepare my horses!" he ordered. "I leave at first light."

Honda bowed at his commands, before running out of the hall to prepare, making sure to take Anzu with him so she was out of the way. There was a lot to do in a short amount of time.

Atemu sat back down in his throne, the Priest's sitting in their respected seats, fearful of the Pharaoh for he was still controlled by his anger. They all looked at each other warily. Each one of them knew something bad was about to happen. They could sense it in their hearts…

-I-

Yuugi continued to run, bumping into various people here and there. His tears were still falling as he slammed the door to his room. Stomping forwards, he grabbed the nearest table and tipped it over, throwing it onto the floor. The various objects on top of it crashed to the floor. Glass, pottery and various other materials smashed around his feet. His breathing was heavy as he tried to control his surging anger.

"I will not let him do this," he snarled. "I will not let him go. I'll make sure he doesn't go. And I'll do it one way…or another."

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

_(1) a black sleeveless top, a short black skirt and a pair of white boots: _basically, think of what she wore in the Pharaoh's Memory World episodes.

_(2) Holy Elf: _Mystical Elf

_(3) Petit Angel:_ I have no idea what this is in Japanese. If anyone knows, could they please let me know? Please?

Please R&R. The next chapter will be up as soon as I finish all my school work (or whenever I get some free time!). See you guys next time!


	9. Stealth In The Night

I know what you're thinking: "Wow! This chapter was up quick! I wonder why…"

Well, this chapter is a lot shorter than the other chapters, and it was easier to write. I'm sorry it's so short, but I hope you still enjoy it!

Now, to put the wonderful reviewers into the spotlight:

**Greater Lights**

**Applegrape**

**trekker4life**

**Priestess-one-shot**

**Crystallynne**

Domo arigatou! Your reviews give me the determination to continue writing.

Right, lets get on with the next chapter, shall we? Let's see what Yuugi is up to…

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks"_

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Peachshipping rules!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 9: Stealth In The Night

-I-

Nightfall. A peaceful time when the world was covered in a cool darkness. In the violet sky stars sparkle like small glimmers of hope in the soul, and the Gods fly across, watching over their people. Not a soul in Kemet was awake…except for the guards guarding the palace in Illuminarta. Most of the people in Kemet were asleep in their beds, resting after a hard days work.

And Pharaoh Atemu was no exception. After reading the letter from the Empire of Dark Souls, he had spent the rest of the day preparing for his journey. He and his Priest's had come up with a plan to ensure his safety, and a victory over the Empire of Dark Souls. It was almost perfect, but it had taken them a long time to come up with it.

Atemu's anger had quickly subsided as the afternoon had progressed, and it was soon replaced by guilt. He felt terrible for shouting at Yuugi like that. Yuugi had only wanted to help him, but Atemu let his anger take control of him. Something both he and Yuugi had inherited from their father. He had tried to speak to Yuugi later that day to apologise, but Yuugi refused to open the room to his door, and he refused to speak to anyone. He wouldn't even speak to Anzu when she tried to talk to him.

And now, because Atemu hadn't been able to get rid of this guilt, it haunted him in his dreams. As he lay in his large bed, he twisted and turned in agony, the horrible images of an evil and angry Yuugi formed by his guilt rushing through his mind. But not matter how horrible the dreams were, he would not wake. He was too deep in sleep. The Millennium Puzzle around his neck glowed dimly, reacting to it's master's troubled heart and mind.

However, there was another in the room whom, unlike Atemu, was awake. A person that at first glance you would have thought was the Pharaoh himself, but those who knew him well could easily tell the difference between the Pharaoh and this second person.

Yuugi looked down at his brother. He was dressed in clothes only Atemu would normally wear, and wore jewellery only meant for his brother. He had managed to sneak into Atemu's room earlier and take the clothes and jewellery without anyone noticing. He looked even more like his brother than ever before.

In his hand, he held a dagger.

Choosing his moment carefully, Yuugi's grip on the dagger tightened as he brought it up. He quietly took a few steps towards his brother's bed. He looked down at his target. Atemu's back was facing him, but he could still easily reach the target. Slowly, he brought his dagger down to Atemu's neck…

"Yuugi!"

Yuugi froze, surprised at Atemu's sudden shout. He felt his hand shake in fear, his heart beat now racing in his chest. Atemu began to move in his bed again, turning to face Yuugi…

Yuugi swallowed. He was in for it now.

Atemu turned completely, and Yuugi relaxed. He was still asleep. He had only shouted Yuugi's name in his sleep. Yuugi couldn't help but give a quiet chuckle at his brother's behaviour.

'_Some brave and powerful Pharaoh he is.'_

But now that Atemu was facing Yuugi, Yuugi could now easily reach his target. Double checking that Atemu was still asleep, Yuugi began to move again.

He brought the dagger closer and closer to Atemu's neck, never taking his eyes off his target. He had to get this right. He only had one chance. He felt the sweat trickle down his face. He could hear his fast heart beat in his ears.

Closer and closer the dagger came, until it was only a few inches away from Atemu's neck. As Atemu continued to dream, Yuugi put the dagger on top of his target. Holding his breath, he cut…

…The Millennium Puzzle fell onto the bed.

Quickly and quietly, Yuugi replaced the dagger into its sheath, next to where he kept his sword and deck. He checked Atemu's neck to see if he had injured it. He sighed in relief when he couldn't find any wounds. He picked up the Millennium Puzzle, careful not to wake Atemu up. Tying the ends he had cut back together, he pulled the leather scrap over his head and let the Puzzle hang down around his neck. He held it in his hands, staring at the symbol on the front.

It didn't feel right that he should take this. The Millennium Puzzle wasn't meant for him. He dropped the Puzzle, feeling the weight around his neck, before continuing with his plan.

He removed the crown on top of his head, the one made especially for him to show his status as Prince of the Kingdom of Light. He placed it on Atemu's beside table, picking up Atemu's crown as he did so. Atemu's crown was more attractive that Yuugi's own. But that was to be expected. Atemu's crown showed his status at Pharaoh of the Kingdom of Light and was bound to have a more extravagant design.

Yuugi placed the new crown on top of his head. It fitted perfectly. Of course it did. Atemu and Yuugi were exactly the same; looks and sizes. When they were kids, they used to pretend to be one another all the time to confuse the Priests and their teachers. They had always managed to fool everyone, except their parents. Yuugi prayed their childhood trick still worked.

Before he left, Yuugi picked up the letter from the Empire of Dark Souls and placed it in his Duel Monsters pouched. Once he checked he had everything he needed, he looked back at his brother. He sighed sadly.

'_I'm sorry, Atemu. This is the only way. I cannot let you go through with your plan. I cannot put you in danger.'_

Before he changed his mind, Yuugi turned and walked towards the door. He opened it slowly, cringing when it creaked. He stepped outside and closed it slightly. He looked back at his brother with saddened eyes.

'_Goodbye, my brother…'_

He closed the door, silently.

Yuugi stood outside Atemu's room for a moment. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. But it had to be done. It was the only way. This way, if the Empire of Dark Souls tried anything, at least Atemu wouldn't suffer, and the Kingdom of Light would have a true and worthy Pharaoh.

Yuugi walked a few paces down the corridor, before he stopped. He turned around and looked at a second door. The door that led to Anzu's room. He felt his heart break. This was going to cause both of them so much pain. Before he really did change his mind, he quickly looked away and walked hastily down the stone corridor.

'_I'm sorry Anzu. I hope you can forgive me. I did not mean to break my promise to you.'_

A few tears fell onto the floor.

-I-

"_Anzu…"_

Anzu tossed and turned in her bed. Her head was in so much pain. She groaned in agony. The voice was getting louder…

"_Anzu…"_

'_Who…who's there?'_ Anzu asked in her mind. '_Who are you?'_

The voice in her vision continued, louder than it had been before.

"_Anzu…he is gone…he has gone to them…"_

'_Who's gone? What are you talking about?'_

"…_Anzu…he needs you…he is in danger…"_

'_W-who's in danger?'_

"_He is in grave danger…Anzu…you must help him…"_

'_Who? Who must I help?'_

"_He needs you…he needs you to help him…Anzu…help him…help him before he is dead…"_

'_WHO?'_

There was a dramatic pause, before the voice answered…

"_Yuugi…"_

Anzu bolted up in her bed with a scream, her breathing heavy. Cold sweat dripped from her forehead, falling onto the sheets and forming perfect circles. Her crystal necklace was just fading out of a glow.

The words from her vision/dream were still ringing in her head…

"Yuugi!"

Anzu pulled the covers out of her way and jumped out of bed. She felt panic rush through her body as she ran to the door. The visions were coming more and more frequently now. She seemed to be having them every other day. And since they all seemed to be coming true more frequently as well, she dreaded the outcome of this one.

She threw open her door and dashed out into the corridor. She ran to Yuugi's room and pushed open the door. She looked inside.

Her heart stopped.

Yuugi was gone.

"No…"

She bolted out the room, and headed towards Atemu's room.

-I-

Yuugi had made it outside the main palace, and was now entering the dark stables. He was thankful for the full moon and the cloudless sky tonight. It gave him just enough light to see where he was going. He silently sent a prayer of thanks to the Gods as he made his way to where his and Atemu's horses were kept at the back of the stable.

He was unaware that Anzu was now awake inside the palace, and still believed she was asleep. He past the chestnut brown horse he had given her the other day. Anzu had named the horse "Teana", after one of her ancestors. The horse gave a small whine when Yuugi passed.

He came to the back of the hall and saw the two white horses belonging to Atemu and himself. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight he saw.

The servants had messed up again. Since Yuugi and Atemu's horses looked alike, they had managed to saddle Yuugi's horse, instead of Atemu's. This was lucky for both him _and_ the servants. If Atemu had seen this in the morning, he would have shouted at them like there was no tomorrow. And it also meant that Yuugi didn't have to waste time saddling up his own horse. He had never liked riding on Atemu's.

Much like the two royal brothers, there were only slight differences between Yuugi's horse and Atemu's. Atemu's horse was slightly taller than Yuugi's, just like the two brothers in real life. Though you had to stand at a certain distance to see the slight difference in height.

Yuugi walked over to his horse and stroked his head to greet him, just like he always did. He also did this to show that he was Yuugi and not Atemu. After all, he was dressed exactly like the young Pharaoh. But Yuugi's horse instantly recognised his master by his scent. It was one of the only things that could tell him and Atemu apart.

After giving him some food for energy, and after packing some food for both of them into the bags attached to his saddle, Yuugi led his horse outside into the courtyard. They walked over to the main gates that led out of the palace. One of them had been left open to let the guards in and out when they changed shifts. They were only open at certain times during the night, so Yuugi had had to plan his escape around one of these times.

When he reached the gate, he stopped his horse, patting him on the head. He walked to the side and mounted the horse in one swift movement. The horse adjusted to the extra weight, and snorted, indicating that he was ready to go. Yuugi turned his head to face back at the palace. His heart saddened. The last time he had left the palace and the city was when he was sent on his mission. That seemed so long ago now. Many things had happened during that short amount of time, both good and bad…

Yuugi was starting to have second thoughts. Should he really go through with this? Should he really disguise himself as Atemu and go to the Empire of Dark Souls in his place? It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that he thought about it, Yuugi could see there were a few flaws in his plan.

But it was too late to change his mind now.

Making his mind up, he pulled on the reigns and tapped his horse with his feet. The white horse reared up, before charging forward at full speed. They quickly made their way down the steps that led from the palace, and began rushing through the quiet streets of Illuminarta. Yuugi hoped no one had seen them leave.

-I-

"_Yuugi…where are you?…"_

_Atemu looked around in the darkness. Panic consumed his body. His 'other half' was missing. _

"_Yuugi! Please!" Atemu tried calling into the darkness. "Answer me!"_

_Still there was nothing. Only a silent, empty void._

_Until…_

"…_At…u…"_

_Atemu's head jerked up. Was that…a voice? A voice calling to him? _

"…_Atemu…"_

_There it was again! Only, it was clearer this time. Someone was calling him. Could it be…Was it Yuugi?_

"_Atemu…" the voice called again._

"_Yuugi!" Atemu called into the darkness once again. "Yuugi, is that you?"_

"_Atemu!" Atemu could hear the voice perfectly now. His heart sank. It wasn't Yuugi's voice. It was someone else. Someone he did not wish to hear. "Atemu, please! Wake up!"_

-I-

"Atemu, please! Wake up!" Anzu screamed. She was in the Pharaoh's room, shaking his shoulders to get him to wake. She didn't realise how shocking her actions were, entering the Pharaoh's chamber and touching him without his permission.

"Please!" Anzu continued to scream, tears in her eyes. "It's Yuugi! He's gone!"

And just as if these were the magic words, Atemu's eyes suddenly shot open, and he bolted up in bed. After taking a few seconds to recover from the shock of his sudden awakening, he looked at Anzu. He was not in the mood for a midnight talk.

"Anzu, what are you doing in here?" he asked sternly. He wiped away the sweat from his forehead. "You are not permitted in the Pharaoh's chamber. Why did you wake me?"

It was only then that Atemu noticed the tears streaming down Anzu's face. Something was terribly wrong, and he knew it involved his brother somehow.

"It's terrible, Atemu!" Anzu cried. Atemu cringed when she spoke his name. He was regretting giving her permission to call him by his given name. "I just had a vision-"

"What?" This grabbed Atemu's attention. "A vision?" He and Yuugi had figured out a while ago that Anzu had visions, though they did not tell her this. Yuugi had wanted Anzu to tell them in her own time. Atemu guessed that this was a better time than any to admit she suffered from visions.

"Yes. And when I went to look…oh Atemu! It's come true! My vision has come true!"

"Are you sure?" Atemu felt his suspicion of Anzu fade for the time being. He could clearly see how troubled she was.

"Yes," she whispered. Tears were now falling uncontrollably down her soft cheeks, landing on Atemu's sheets.

"What was your vision about?" Atemu asked calmly, though on the inside his heart was racing.

Anzu sniffed. "I heard…a voice. It was speaking to me, telling me someone had gone. It was telling me that someone was in danger. And when I went to look, he was gone! He was gone, Atemu! My vision came true!"

"Who is gone? Who is in danger?" Although Atemu asked these questions, deep down he already had the feeling that he knew the answer. He hoped against hope he was wrong.

Anzu gave a small sob before answering the Pharaoh's question.

"Yuugi."

Atemu gave a small gasp. He felt his blood run cold. Yuugi…was gone? No. That couldn't be. That couldn't be true. He refused to believe it!

It was only then that he noticed the Millennium Puzzle was missing from around his neck. Panicking, he desperately looked around for it, hoping somehow the strap had snapped whilst he was asleep, and the Puzzle had fallen to the floor.

Anzu continued. "He's gone to the Empire of Dark Souls in your place so you wouldn't get hurt. I just know he has! He's trying to protect us all."

Atemu looked up at these words. He looked at his beside table. The note was gone, and Yuugi's crown lay where his own crown should be. His eyes widened. His heart stopped. The shock of Yuugi's actions hit him like a great force.

"No…"

Jumping out of bed and ignoring Anzu's cries, Atemu bolted for the door. He threw it open with a great force, causing it to crash against the wall. He ran to the other side of the corridor and threw open Yuugi's door with the same force he used against his own. Fear pulsing through his veins, he looked all around his room, hoping to see some source of life…

But there was no one there…

…Anzu was right…

…Yuugi was gone…

Suddenly hearing a horse's whine in the distance, Atemu ran forward into his brother's room. He ran past his brother's belongings, past the tipped table, dodging the broken things on the floor, and headed for the balcony. Running through the archway, he ran to the edge of the balcony. He held onto the edge and leaned forward, trying to identify a figure on the horizon.

There was no doubt about it. That was him. Atemu could spot the familiar shape of his hair anyway.

But that didn't bring relief to the young Pharaoh. Yuugi had now almost completely disappeared from view. He was too far away for the guards to reach him in time. Atemu's worst fears were becoming a reality.

"YUGIIIII!"

-I-

Yuugi closed his eyes. Even though he was a great distance away from the palace, there was nothing for miles around besides a few oasis'. Atemu's cry echoed into the dark desert.

"I'm sorry Atemu, but I have to do this. This is the only way. Goodbye…"

Illuminarta disappeared into the night as Yuugi continued to ride on, the tears of pain and betrayal escaping his eyes. Without realising it, he and his steed crossed over into the blackened sand of evil. They had crossed into the land controlled by the Empire of Dark Souls.

There was no turning back now…

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

So, there you have it. Chapter 9 all done. What did you guys think? I know it's…different from the other chapters, but hey. There's nothing wrong with that, right? What matters is what you think of it.

So please R&R.I love reading your reviews, and it only takes about 30 seconds! I'll update as soon as I can.


	10. Found

Sound the trumpets, because chapter 10 is here!

Once again, I must apologise for my lateness. I only have to say one word…school. You know what I mean, right? We've all been there.

But I have managed to scrap together a few moments to myself to write this tenth chapter of my most popular YuugixAnzu story yet. And it's all thanks to you wonderful reviews! I would like to personally thank:

**Greater Lights**

**trekker4life**

**priestess-one-shot**

**Crystallynne**

Thanks so much guys, and to everyone else that reviewed (sorry if I didn't mention you). All your reviews mean so much to me! Every single one!

Now, lets get on with the show! Will Atemu be able to find Yuugi? You'll just have to read for yourself…

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks"_

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! They look so adorable together!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 10: Found

-I-

5 days.

Yuugi had been missing for 5 days now, but to Atemu, it seemed like an eternity.

Everyday was the same. A search party was sent out to search the entire kingdom for Prince Yuugi. The soldiers searched high and low, searching every city, town and village in the Kingdom of Light no matter how small, but Yuugi was never found. Soon Atemu ordered his soldiers to search the areas controlled by the Empire of Dark Souls-the areas that had once been the Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny-but they were still unsuccessful. It seemed that Yuugi had disappeared into thin air.

Many times soldiers had tried to enter the palace belonging to the Empire of Dark Souls; the palace that had once been the centre of the Kingdom of Destiny. But every time they were within a mile of the grand palace, they were brutally attacked. They came back either badly wounded, or were left behind, dead.

But Atemu wasn't giving up. He knew his brother was alive. He could feel it in his heart. They were twins after all, and shared a special bond like no other. Everyday he would look out from his balcony and search the horizon for any signs of a white horse galloping towards the city, his brother riding on his back unharmed. But his search was in vain, for no matter how hard he tried, Yuugi was not to be found.

Whenever a search party returned, Atemu would rush down to the gate to meet them, hoping they had information. Every time he was let down, for the soldiers hadn't been able to find anything. This angered Atemu, and he soon found himself shouting at his men, ordering them to try harder. His emotions soon became out of control. His rage grew so much, he decided to barricade himself in his room and kept watch from his balcony. This way, no one would face the wrath of his rage.

But this caused the Priests to worry about him even more. But they dared not intrude. They may have the Millennium Items, but they did not protect them from the Pharaoh's rage.

Every night, Atemu's mind was haunted with horrible dreams of Yuugi's death. He would always wake up in a cold sweat, and was never able to get back to sleep. It seemed the Gods were punishing him for his mistake. Tears escaped his eyes. He missed his other half so much. He felt incomplete without him (and the Millennium Puzzle).

But Atemu wasn't the only person whom was missing Yuugi deeply. Another was also haunted in their sleep with visions and dreams of the missing Prince. Another found themselves crying silently to sleep almost every night. Another felt the guilt of letting Yuugi slip through their fingers…

Anzu sighed sadly for the hundredth time that day. She rested her cheek on her hand and continued to look out over the land from her balcony. She missed Yuugi so much, it was painful to think about him. Every time his name was mentioned, it felt like someone was ripping a piece out of her heart. She felt so alone now, and she prayed Yuugi would come back soon. She dropped her arm and looked up at the late afternoon sky. The first stars were just starting to come out. A shooting star was just visible, flying across the sky.

'_Please, bring Yuugi back safe and sound,'_ she prayed silently. '_I can't stand this pain anymore.'_

Her attention was soon brought to something happening below her. She looked down in the courtyard to see a group of riders and horses galloping through the gate. The Pharaoh's guard, Hiroto Honda, could be seen at the front, leading the group. It seemed the latest search party had returned for the day.

Anzu leaned over the balcony edge, hoping to find an extra person in the party. But as she looked down and searched, she found herself disappointed again. Yuugi still hadn't been found. Another piece of her heart broke.

She continued to watch with saddened eyes at the scene below. The soldiers were dismounting their horses, the servants taking them back to the stables to rest. Honda dismounted his black horse, letting a young servant girl take it away. As he stretched his legs, two figures approached him, one of them holding the reins of another black horse. One of the figures, was Katsuya Jonouchi. The second, Anzu didn't recognise. But something about him seemed so…familiar.

The three figures below began to talk. Anzu knew what they were discussing: Yuugi had not been found, so the search would have to continue. The next search party was already preparing to leave. Jonouchi said something to Honda, before taking the reins of his black horse from the boy next to him. He walked a few steps forward, before mounting his horse and riding out of the courtyard. None of the soldiers went with him. Where ever he was going, he was going alone.

Anzu continued to watch the remaining pair below. Honda said a few more words to the young boy, before the boy bowed and ran into the palace. Honda scratched his head before making his own way into the palace to rest.

Anzu waited a few moments, moving away from the balcony, until she heard it. Footsteps. Rushing up the hall. She suspected it to be the boy Honda and Jonouchi had been with. He was coming to tell Atemu the latest news. And sure enough, only a few seconds later, Anzu heard the footsteps stop outside in the hall. There was a soft knock on Atemu's door, before it creaked open and the boy walked in, closing it behind him.

Usually, Anzu would leave Atemu be, knowing his rage was out of control. But something was bothering her. That boy. Something just didn't seem right about him. Curiosity getting the better of her, Anzu walked over to her door, opening it as quietly as possible and looked down the hall. No one was there. No guards. No servants. Not a soul. She slipped out the door and closed it softly, before creeping to Atemu's door. It had been left slightly ajar, and Anzu could easily hear the voices inside…

"…And he has still not been found?" Anzu heard Atemu asked. His voice sounded husky and hurt.

"No, sire," a second voice answered sadly.

Atemu sighed. "Has Jonouchi's party left yet?"

"They are about to leave, your highness…but…" the voice hesitated.

"Go on," Atemu encouraged.

Anzu heard the second person shift uncomfortably, before answering:

"Sire, Jonouchi has left already. He left only moments ago. He has taken a lot of supplies with him and has vowed not to return until he has found Yuugi."

Atemu chuckled. "Ah, Jonouchi. I should have realised he would have done something like this."

"He does tend to act without thinking," the second voice agreed.

"Yes, he does." Atemu sighed sadly again. "He is just like my brother." His voice began to break. A few sobs escaped his lips.

Anzu heard the second man move forward. "Sire-"

"Go!" Atemu ordered harshly. "Leave me."

Anzu heard the second man hesitate, before he bowed to his Pharaoh and turned around. As he headed towards the door, Anzu quickly took a few steps back.

The young boy came out and closed the door behind him. He looked at the floor sadly.

'_Poor Pharaoh,' _he thought sadly. '_He cannot go on like this. I hope Prince Yuugi is found soon-'_

It was then that he noticed a second shadow on the floor. Blinking, he looked up to his right to see Anzu standing a few feet away from him. He blushed when she saw what she was wearing: a yellow shirt with a pink vest over the top, a short blue skirt and a pair of light brown boots (1). On her hip she had attached her pouch with her deck inside. No one in the whole of Kemet would ever wear clothes _that _revealing.

Anzu in turn studied the boy in front of her. It turned out that he was not a boy at all. In fact, he looked the same age as herself. He was wearing a creamy robe, much like the other male servants that worked in the palace. His hair was a tinted white that just brushed against his shoulders, and his eyes were a light shade of purple that Anzu had never seen before. There was something in his eyes that made her feel…uncomfortable.

There was a long pause between the two, until the servant decided to speak up.

"I guess you heard all that?" he asked, sheepishly.

Anzu nodded. "He's not getting any better, is he?"

"No, I'm afraid not. With each passing day, his health deteriorates. If Prince Yuugi is not found soon, I don't know what will happen to the Pharaoh. We are all worried about him, Anzu."

The Japanese girl blinked. "You…you know my name?"

"Of course I do. Everyone in Illuminarta knows who _you_ are and how to saved us from the Empire of Dark Souls over a week ago. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole Kingdom knew who you were! The Great Anzu, who saved us from the vicious monsters."

Anzu couldn't help but blush at the comment. She had no idea how infamous she was.

The servant boy smiled and extended his hand to Anzu. "My name is Malik, younger brother to Priest Isis."

"Ah, so you're Isis's younger brother?" Anzu asked, shaking his hand. "I thought I could see a resemblance."

Malik took his hand away and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "You think so?"

Anzu nodded. "How is Isis anyway? I haven't seen her for a few days."

Malik's smile faded at once. "Not very well. She and the other Priests are worried about the Pharaoh's health and for Prince Yuugi's safety. My sister cannot use her Millennium Necklace to find him or see his future because he has the Millennium Puzzle now. You see, the Millennium Necklace cannot be used on the other Keepers of the other Items. So we have no idea where Prince Yuugi is or if he is safe. And it's ripping Atemu apart."

'_Me too.'_ thought Anzu. She looked up at the young servant, an idea forming in her head.

"Do you think…maybe I could…I don't know. Maybe I could see Atemu? Even if it's only for a moment?"

Malik looked up in surprise. "What for?"

"I don't know. I just thought I could cheer him up. It's worth a try, don't you think?"

Malik thought for a moment. No one was allowed to enter the Pharaoh's chamber unless they had permission from the Pharaoh himself. But Atemu was refusing to speak to anyone these days, except for Malik. But Anzu was different from them. He had heard that she had some sort of 'special power' inside of her. Maybe she could use this 'power' of hers to help Atemu. It sounded stupid, but it was worth a try.

"I guess it would be all right," Malik finally answered. "Just go straight in. I will be out here if you need me."

Anzu nodded, before walking to the door. Placing her hand on the handle, she pushed it down and pushed the door forwards, stepping in. She closed the door behind her and looked around the room.

The last time she had been in this room, it had been the middle of the night. Anzu had run in to warn Atemu that Yuugi was missing. That night she hadn't been able to fully absorb the grand room. Fortunately, she could now.

It was almost like Yuugi's, only grander. Everywhere she looked she could see golden furniture and wonderful ornaments handed down from generation to generation. Rich and colourful silks made the room seem brighter and larger than it was. She caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the candle light and looked to her right.

Yuugi's crown was still sitting on Atemu's bedside table.

"What are you doing in here?" a cold voice asked.

Anzu looked up to see Atemu standing by his balcony, half hidden behind a silk curtain. Dark rings could be see under his eyes due to his lack of sleep, and his face was paler than it used to be. He looked so ill, Anzu couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"I asked you a question," Atemu said after a pause, stepping out of the shadow of the curtain and into the candle light.

"I'm sorry I didn't knock," Anzu said. "But I thought I could come in here and…try and cheer you up…" Atemu just stared blankly at the young girl. She felt uncomfortable in his presence. "Or something like that."

"Who let you in here?"

Anzu was taken aback by this sudden question. "What?"

"Who let you in here?" Atemu asked more sternly.

Anzu hesitated. She didn't want to get Malik into trouble. "Erm…"

"Who let you in here!" Atemu's patience was running out.

Still Anzu hesitated.

"Was is Malik?"

"What?" Anzu looked up a little too quickly.

"It was, wasn't it?"

"Well, er-"

"I told him not to let anyone disturb me!" Atemu's anger was beginning to increase again. He headed towards the door. "How _dare_ he disobey me!"

"Wait Atemu!" Anzu cried, trying to stop him. She stepped in front of him to block his path. "It wasn't his fault! _I_ was the one that wanted to come and see you."

"And why was that? To tell me what I already know? That Yuugi still hasn't been found?"

"No, I-"

"Anzu, my heart has already been broken into a thousand pieces by my other half's sudden departure! And every time someone comes in here to tell me he still hasn't been found, my heart breaks again and again. I do not need a girl like _you_ to come in here and make my life worse than it already is! You have already caused enough trouble since you came into our world."

"And what is _that_ suppose to mean?"

"Simple," Atemu spat. He could feel his anger boiling in his blood and the colour rise to his cheeks. "It was _your_ fault the Empire of Dark Souls attacked our city. It was _your_ fault my Priests are divided because of their opinion of you, and it is _your_ fault that Yuugi is missing!"

Anzu took a step back, aware that Atemu was now right in front of her. "How could you say that! I didn't cause the Empire of Dark Souls to attack us! They attacked on their own accord. And your Priests never agree on anything. Trust me, I know. And as for Yuugi running away, we're all to blame for that! We could have all figured out what he was going to do and all of us could have tried to stop him. So don't blame me for things I did not do!"

Anzu stopped to take a breath. She and Atemu's face were now a short distance apart, both as flustered as the other. Anzu continued.

"You think you're the only one who is hurting? You think you're the only one who feels pain whenever Yuugi's name is mentioned? Well you're not! When Yuugi disappeared that night, my heart was ripped into a million pieces. And now, whenever I hear his name, or think about him all alone out there, facing who knows what kind of danger, my heart breaks into a million more pieces! No matter how hard I try, those pieces will always be broken, until Yuugi is returned home!"

Atemu felt his jaw drop. He stepped back slightly. "I...I had no idea you felt that way."

Anzu said nothing. She breathed heavily to control her anger.

"You…you really do care about my brother…more than I thought you did."

Still Anzu said nothing. Her breathing became slower and more calmer as she relaxed. Atemu turned his back to her.

"I am sorry Anzu," he said solemnly. "I should not have shouted at you like that. I had no idea you…" He couldn't continued.

"Yeah, well now you do." Anzu said, a little more gently than she had done a moment ago. She sighed. "Atemu, I know what you're going through right now. But you must have faith. Yuugi _will_ return home. You just have to believe in him, like I believe in him."

Atemu turned his head. "You really believe he will return home soon?"

Anzu nodded. "Deep in my heart, I _know _he'll be home soon."

Atemu sighed. He walked forward and looked out from the back of his balcony, out to the sky. The sun had almost completely set, and more stars could be seen. Another star shot across the twilight sky.

"You are right, Anzu," Atemu said finally, still looking out into the sky. "Yuugi will return home. I know he will. Just like you, I can feel in my heart that he will return to us safely." He turned around and smiled. "That you for showing me that."

Anzu smiled. "No problem."

Atemu let out a small laugh. "If you don't mind, I would like to be alone for a while."

"I understand." Anzu bowed before the Pharaoh, before exiting from the room.

She closed the door softly behind her. She leaned against it for a moment, letting the colour from her cheeks disappear. She hated arguments, especially with her friends. They always made her all hot and flustered. Once she was sure the colour was gone, she stood up straight and went back into her room. As she closed the door, she was unaware of someone watching her.

Malik stepped out of the shadows, keeping his gaze on Anzu's door. A cruel smile appeared on his lips as an idea formed in his head. His eyes were no longer a peaceful purple. They were now a glowing, blood red.

-I-

Anzu gently closed the door to her room and leaned against it. She placed a hand on her heart. Just mentioning Yuugi's name in that argument was enough to break her heart once again. She looked up at the ceiling, feeling tears prickling in the corner of her eyes.

"Oh Yuugi, please come back soon," she prayed quietly. "Can't you see what you're doing to us? Please, come back…oh no!"

Anzu gasped. As she was stepping forward, she hadn't realised her pouch had gotten caught on the door handle. Now her deck of Duel Monster cards were falling to the ground. She fell to her knees and quickly began to pick them up, checking they were all still there. Black Magician Girl? Check. Petit Angel? Check. Holy Barrier Mirror Force? Check. Maha Vailo-

"Maha Vailo."

Something clinked in her mind. A memory. A memory from not that long ago. Only a couple of weeks, maybe more. It was on her second night in Kemet, before she arrived in Illuminarta. She and Yuugi had camped out at a small oasis for the night, tired from their day of travelling. Back then, they were still getting to know each other…

_-Flashback-_

"_What?" Anzu asked._

_Yuugi laughed. He repeated his question. "Do you want to play a game?" _

"_A game?"_

"_Yes," he said cheerfully. He got out his deck and placed it on the sand in front of him. "It's not really a game, just a fun way to pass the time. And it will also help us get to know each other."_

"_O-K. Why not," Anzu shrugged, moving closer to the small fire._

"_Great! First, you need to place your deck in front of you."_

"_Like this?" Anzu said, copying his movements. _

"_That's it! Now, this is what we do. We're both going to choose a card in our deck that we think is most like one another. So I would choose a card that I think is like you, and you choose a card that you think is like me. Understand?"_

"_I think so," Anzu said. She picked up her deck. "Shall we start?"_

"_Sure. Game start!"_

_Both teens flicked through their decks, studying each card very carefully. Once or twice they would choose a card, studying it for a few moments, before shaking their head and placing the card back in their deck, deciding to choose another card._

_Soon, both of them had one card in their hand._

"_Ready?" Yuugi asked. Anzu nodded. "On three. One…two…three!"_

_Simultaneously, the pair turned their cards around to show one another. After a few moments, Yuugi burst out laughing._

"_What's so funny?" Anzu asked. But she soon saw what Yuugi was laughing at, and she began to laugh too. They had both chosen the same card…_

…_Maha Vailo._

"_Out of all the cards we could have chosen," laughed Yuugi, "we chose the same one!"_

"_What are the odds of that?" Anzu laughed. She wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye._

_Soon the laughter died down, but the smiles were still there. _

"_So, why did you choose Maha Vailo?" asked Yuugi._

"_Well, I guess it's because I don't know you very well. But there's something about you that's…mysterious. Like you're hiding something."_

"_R-Really?" Yuugi said nervously. He swallowed. "W-Why would you say that?"_

"_Hmmm…" Anzu eyed him, curiously. "So, why did you chose Maha Vailo?"_

"_Same reason. I feel like there's something hidden in you. Like a secret power deep inside…"_

"_Wow, you think?" _

"_Of course I do! I said it yesterday, did I not? You have powerful magic inside of you. Why else would you have a deck? And I know one day, that power will be very useful…"_

-End Flashback-

"What did Yuugi mean by that?" Anzu asked herself. She walked over to the balcony, Maha Vailo still in her hand.

Suddenly, it clicked. She knew what she had to do!

Holding the card out in front of her, she tried to imagine it coming to life. She focused only on the card, draining out all the sounds around her (if any). She felt a strange sensation in her heart, like something was trying to come out. Suddenly, she felt a small jolt from her heart, but not a painful one. She felt something appear in front of her. Slowly she opened her eyes…

…Maha Vailo was standing in front of her, just as she hoped he would.

"It worked! It really worked!"

Maha Vailo bowed before his mistress, awaiting her instructions. Anzu wasted no time in doing that.

"Maha Vailo," she ordered. "I need you to search Kemet for Prince Yuugi. Make sure he is safe and help bring him home. Please, try and find him as fast as you can!"

Maha Vailo nodded, before hovering off the ground. He turned around and flew out through the balcony archway and into the night sky. Anzu rushed out onto the balcony and watched him fly away, until he completely disappeared from view.

"Good luck…"

-I-

"_Ha ha ha ha!"_

_Anzu panicked, the evil laughter echoing around her. She looked around at the all too familiar surroundings. The walls and floor of the large hall were black and dark. A dark stone throne had been placed in the middle of the floor. A storm erupted outside in the dark sky as two figures appeared before her. One was on the floor, covered in blood, and the second stood above the first, a bloody knife in his hand._

"_Your time in this lifetime has come to an end," the first figure said, his all too familiar voice echoing off the stone walls. His voice was that of the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls. The one that had appeared in her dream before. But still, she could not see his face. It was hidden in the darkness._

_The second man tried to stand up, but found his could not due to his horrific injuries._

"_Please…no…" the man begged. His voice, that too was familiar. Anzu had heard it before. It was soft and caring, yet mysterious at the same time. But who…_

_A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, lighting up the hall for only a second. But in that second Anzu was able to see the face of the man on the floor. She was able to finally figure out the identity of the man with the horrific injuries, but she wished she hadn't._

_Prince Yuugi tried to get up once again, but his arms failed him and he collapsed back onto the floor. Blood was pouring freely from his injuries onto the cold floor._

"_It's such a shame that this had to come to an end so soon," the man with the knife spoke, bringing his knife higher._

"_Please…"_

"_But now it's time to die!"_

_The man with the knife gave one last evil smile and brought the knife down onto Yuugi. A bloody curdling scream filled them room._

"AHHHH!"

Anzu bolted up in bed, like she had done so many times before. Cold sweat once again dripped from her forehead and under her arms, her breathing was heavy. As she tried to calm herself down, she placed her hand on her heart.

"Yuugi…"

Once again, she broke down into tears, and cried herself to back sleep.

-I-

The night came and went, and just like the past few nights, Anzu has visions of Yuugi in the hall fighting the leader of the Empire of Dark Souls, whilst Atemu was haunted in his sleep with images of a badly injured Yuugi dying in the desert, the sand stained with his blood…

The day went as quickly as the night did, and still no news of Yuugi was received. Anzu had heard nothing from Maha Vailo, but she did not worry. His image was still missing from his card, so she knew he was still out there, searching…

In the early afternoon, Anzu felt stuffy in her room. She decided to go for a walk outside, and soon found herself making her way down the many different stone corridors until she found herself walking towards the stone steps that led into the courtyard at the front of the palace.

As she approached the steps, she found that she wasn't the only one wanting some fresh air. Pharaoh Atemu had made a rare appearance out of his room and was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Good afternoon, Anzu," Atemu greeted.

"Good afternoon, Atemu," Anzu returned the greeting. "I'm surprised to see you out of your room."

"Yes, so am I," chuckled Atemu. "I just had this feeling that I should come here. Like someone was telling me to wait for something. It is strange, I know. But that is the only way I can explain it."

Anzu giggled. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Atemu smiled. "Anzu, I want to thank you for last night, and to apologise."

"You don't have to apologise. We're all a little edgy at the moment, with Yuugi not being here."

"I know, but I still feel guilty. I also feel guilty for being so suspicious of you since your arrival. I was cold and cruel. You did not deserve it. Even after you saved us from the Empire of Dark Souls, I still did not trust you, unlike Yuugi. He trusted you from the beginning, and told me to do the same. But I did not listen to him. And now I realise my mistake. So, I am deeply sorry Anzu, and I hope you can forgive me."

"Apology accepted. And you don't have to thank me about last night either. I was glad I could help."

Atemu smiled. He could now see why Yuugi liked Anzu so much. Sure, she may be from a completely different world. But she was kind, caring, helpful-

"What the…!" Anzu cried.

A ray of light suddenly appeared out of nowhere over the wall that guarded the palace. The light flew at a dramatic speed towards Anzu, flying around her body and shooting inside her pouch.

"What was that?" Atemu asked.

Anzu quickly unhooked her pouch and opened it up. She pulled out her deck and flicked through it, her hands shaking.

'_Oh please, let it be here…'_ she thought.

She pulled out the top card on her deck and held it up in front of her. She gasped.

Maha Vailo's picture was back on the card. The monster had returned to her deck and to the Dominion of the Beasts.

'_If Maha Vailo is back, does that mean…'_

Atemu looked up at the Japanese girl. Her face had gone pale.

"Anzu, what is it? Is something wrong?"

"Pharaoh! Pharaoh!"

Atemu and Anzu looked up and saw a very distressed Malik running up the steps towards them.

"Malik?" Atemu asked when the servant boy reached them. "What is wrong? Has something happened?"

Malik stopped to catch his breath. "I…I have just returned from the city gates. The guards said…the guards saw…"

"What? Saw what? What did the guards see?"

"They saw…a horse…a black horse…"

"A black horse?" Anzu gasped.

"Is it the Empire of Dark Souls?" Atemu asked urgently.

"No. It is…it is…Jonouchi. Jonouchi has returned!"

"Jonouchi!" cried out Atemu. He looked up at the palace gates.

He heard a horse rear, and people shout and cry in surprise. A large crowd had quickly gathered at the gates, the head of a black horse just visible above their heads. Sitting on the horse, was the blonde guard, Jonouchi.

"Jonouchi!" Atemu cried, running forward. Anzu and Malik followed him as fast as they could.

If Jonouchi was back, than that could mean only one thing. Atemu prayed he was right. He hoped and prayed Jonouchi had returned because-

"Move out of the way!" Malik cried, running ahead of the Pharaoh. "The Pharaoh is coming through. Move!" He began to push people out the way, but they would not move. They were more interested in the events in front of them. "Let him pass! Hey! You two! Yes, you! Move out the way! Make room for the Pharaoh!"

At the sound of "Pharaoh" (for the second time), the crowd fell silent and moved back, allowing Atemu, Anzu and Malik to pass by. They made their way quickly to Jonouchi's horse.

"Jonouchi!" Atemu cried. He made his way to the side of the horse. "Jonouchi, have you-" He stopped. His heart stopped. His felt himself go weak.

"No…no…no…" he uttered under his breath, shaking his head is disbelief.

"Atemu, what's wrong?" Anzu asked. She looked up at where Jonouchi sat on his horse. She gasp, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Oh God no…"

There, sitting in front of a battered Jonouchi, was an unconscious and extremely badly wounded Yuugi.

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

_(1) a yellow shirt with a pink vest over the top, a short blue skirt and a pair of light brown boots: _what Anzu wore in Duellist Kingdom

And yet another horrible cliff-hanger. I bet your getting sick of these, ain't ya? Well, you're just going to have to wait I'm afraid! I'm going away for Christmas soon, and I may not be able to update until January. But I will try my best to try and update before I go away, so get be patient, OK?

Merry Christmas Everybody! Please R&R!


	11. Truth and Lies

"Deck the halls with balls of holly…"

Lol! I couldn't resist with Christmas just around the corner. And I thought what better way to thank my reviewers by writing the next chapter before I go on holiday as an early Christmas present. So, this chapter is for:

**Greater Lights**

**KaibaYamiLover**

**Crystallynne**

**kobear91**

**priestess-one-shot**

Thank you all so much for reviewing! You guys are fantastic!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks"_

'Thoughts in flashback'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Don't they look adorable together?

-I-

Another World

Chapter 11: Truth And Lies

-I-

"Move out the way! Let the Pharaoh pass!"

The servants and guards that had gathered in the courtyard all jumped back as Pharaoh Atemu ran past them. Behind him, Anzu and Malik followed, both as anxious as he was.

In his arms, he carried his unconscious brother.

As Atemu made his way up the stone steps into the palace, he was aware of Yuugi's blood dripping onto his clothes, staining the fabric. But this did not worry him. What did worry him was just how bad Yuugi's injuries were. Many were deep and bleeding freely. Yuugi was losing a lot of blood, and his breathing was slow and heavy. If they didn't stop the bleeding soon, Yuugi would die.

He looked down at his brother. The Millennium Puzzle was thankfully still around his neck. But at that moment, Atemu would have traded _anything,_ including his sacred item, to have Yuugi recovered back to his normal self.

"Shizuka!" Atemu cried suddenly, spotting the young girl coming out of the palace. "Go to Jonouchi. He is wounded. Attend to his wounds quickly. When he is recovered, send him to me."

"Y-Yes, your highness," Shizuka said, trying to hide the shock of hearing her brother was injured. As Atemu and the others ran on into the palace, she quickly made her way down the steps to find her brother.

"Malik!" Atemu continued. They turned the corner and stopped at a flight of stairs. "Find your sister, Priest Isis. Tell her to come to Yuugi's chamber immediately. We need her to help heal Yuugi."

"I will be as quick as I can," Malik bowed. He turned around and ran down one of the many stone corridors.

"And send for the servants to bring bandages and ointment!" Atemu called after him.

"What about me?" Anzu asked. "What can I do to help?"

"You come with me," Atemu said, starting up the steps. Anzu followed him. "I need you to help me with Yuugi."

The pair (plus an unconscious Yuugi) made their way up the steps and turned right at the top. They ran down the long corridor until they reached the part of the palace where their chambers were. Hurrying to the door on the left, Anzu rushed ahead and opened the door for Atemu, letting him pass. When he had entered the room, Anzu followed, closing the door behind her.

Atemu slowed down his pace, and walked to Yuugi's bed. Gently, he placed Yuugi's frail body onto the soft mattress. As he tried to make his brother more comfortable in his bed, Anzu came and stood at his side. Holding onto one of the posts, she looked down at Yuugi.

How could this have happened? Yuugi was so strong and courageous, and now look at him! He was on the verge of death. He looked so weak and helpless. She looked at his deep wounds and instantly felt the nausea rise up her throat. Yuugi had been cut, stabbed and burnt nearly everywhere. His face, legs and arms were covered with scratches and deep cuts. His tunic had been ripped apart on his torso, and Anzu could easily see 3 deep cuts across his chest. No human could have caused these injuries. That was impossible. It must have been a monster.

Anzu felt the nausea increase as Yuugi's blood slowly trickled thickly down his body, onto his sheets. The Millennium Puzzle was stained with his blood.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Atemu said suddenly. He removed his deep purple cloak from around his neck and began to rip it into strips. Taking one of the strips, he tied it gently around one of the deep cuts on Yuugi's arm.

"Let me help," Anzu said, stepping forward. She took Atemu's cloak and ripped a large piece off. With it, she attended the wounds on Yuugi's chest, feeling faint as she did so. She was never good around blood, but she would do anything for Yuugi.

The door to Yuugi's chamber suddenly opened and a voice called into the room.

"Pharaoh!"

Atemu and Anzu looked up, relieved at the sight before them. Priest Isis entered the room graciously, the Holy Elf already by her side. Malik followed them in, holding bandages and a clay pot filled with ointment. They came to Yuugi's beside and looked down at him, both in shock. Anzu stepped back and let them do what they had to do.

"Isis," Atemu said urgently, stepping to her side. "Can you help him?"

"The Holy Elf can heal most of his wounds," Isis replied in her calm voice, "but some of them are very deep. With our power fading as quickly as it is, I cannot guarantee the Holy Elf has enough power to fully heal them. They will need time to heal. Nevertheless, I will help the Prince in anyway I can."

"Thank you," Atemu said humbly.

Isis turned to her monster, the Holy Elf and instructed her on what to do. Nodding at her mistress's orders, the Holy Elf hovered forward and looked down at the Prince. Holding her hands together, she began chanting an ancient spell. As the words escaped her lips, her body began to glow.

Anzu watched, her jaw dropping to the ground. She was amazed at the sight before her. A golden cloud of some sort appeared over Yuugi, and golden sparkles began to gently fall onto his body. Upon touching a wound, the sparkles would give a small glow, before fading away. The wound they touched would instantly heal, but only slightly. The blood stains on the Millennium Puzzle slowly disappeared in the light.

A few moments passed, and the Holy Elf continued to cast her spell, until she could do no more. She ended the incantation, and the golden glow around her and the cloud above Yuugi immediately disappeared. There was a moment of silence, before the Holy Elf disappeared in a small glow and returned into Isis's card.

"That is all I can do for now," Isis said. "I am sorry I cannot do more…"

"There is no need to apologise, Isis," Atemu said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You did what you could, and I am eternally grateful. You have helped save my brother's life."

"How could I do anything less?" Isis smiled. She glanced back at Yuugi with saddened eyes. "I will inform the other Priest's of the Prince's return and the condition he is in."

Atemu nodded. "I leave it to you."

Priest Isis bowed to her pharaoh, before exciting the room. When she closed the door softly behind her, Atemu, Anzu and Malik all turned to face Yuugi.

The Holy Elf had managed to heal most of Yuugi's minor injuries, such as small cuts, bruises and burns, but not the major ones. The three slashes across his chest were still there, as were the stabbed wounds on his arms and one on the side of his body. His breathing, however, had returned to normal, and his face looked calm rather than troubled.

"We better attend to these wounds…" said Atemu, before quietly adding, "…again."

"Yes, we should," Malik agreed, placing the clay pot and the bandages on Yuugi's beside table. "The only problem is, I'm not very good at that sort of thing."

"Nor am I," Atemu said quietly.

"I am," Anzu spoke up. "When I was a kid, I had to take care of myself a lot. Pass me the ointment and bandages, Malik."

Anzu took her time in cleaning Yuugi's wounds. She removed the make-shift bandages she and Atemu had used from his cloak, and a couple Jonouchi must have used earlier. Dipping some fabric into the ointment, she carefully cleaned the dirt, sand and blood away around the wounds, making sure to do it as gently as possible. Once the wounds were clean, she took the bandages and tenderly wrapped them around the wounds. With help from Malik and Atemu, she managed to secure a few bandages around his chest to cover the slashes and stab wound.

When Anzu was finished, Atemu made sure Yuugi was comfortable in his bed, and pulled the sheets over him. He tucked him in like a father would do to his child.

"That should do for now," Atemu said in a quiet voice. He hated seeing his brother like this. "I'm just thankful he is safe now. I just hope he wakes up soon."

Anzu sat on the edge of Yuugi's bed and held his hand.

"Yuugi…"

A few silent moments passed, and no one said a word. The sun had almost set when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Enter," Atemu simply said.

The door opened and a figure stepped in, leaving the door open behind them. As he slowly made his way to Yuugi's bed, the trio already gathered there looked up. A few smiles appeared when they saw it was Jonouchi. Although he had bandages around him here and there, he seemed in good health.

Jonouchi came to the Pharaoh's side and knelt in respect in front of him.

"Jonouchi, it is good to see you again," Atemu said happily.

Jonouchi stood up. "You too." He looked at Yuugi. "Is he all right?"

"Yes," Atemu answered, looking bad at his brother. "Priest Isis used the Holy Elf to heal most of his wounds, so he is out of danger."

"Has he woken up?"

Atemu shook his head. "I'm afraid not." He looked longingly at his brother and sighed. "I wish he would though."

"You're not going to take the Millennium Puzzle back yet, are you?" Anzu asked.

Again, Atemu shook his head. "No. It would not feel right. I would feel like I'm stealing from my brother. I will wait until he decides to hand it back to me." He turned his head to face Malik. "Malik, I need to speak to Jonouchi in private. Would you mind leaving for a while?"

"O-Oh," Malik said, not expecting this order. He slowly stood up and bowed. "N-No. Of course not." He looked at Anzu. "Come on, Anzu."

Anzu stood up to leave, but Atemu stood up and stopped her.

"Anzu will stay here with us. I am sure Yuugi would have wanted it that way."

Malik hesitated. This was not want he wanted. He needed to stay here and listen to the information they had received. But he couldn't disobey the Pharaoh. That was arise suspicions. Bowing again, he excited the room. However, rather than continuing down the corridor, once Malik had closed Yuugi's door, his eyes began to glow a blood red. He leant against the door and listened in on the conversation…

Back in Yuugi's room, believing Malik was gone, Atemu turned to face his guard.

"Tell me, how did you find Yuugi so quickly?" He asked, a slight urgency in his voice.

"It's strange," Jonouchi answered, stepping to Yuugi's side. "I'm not too sure how I did find him. I was riding to the main palace of the Kingdom of Destiny-the one the Empire of Dark Souls had taken over-when I saw something strange. Coming out of the gates was Yuugi. He was badly injured and could barely walk. Soldiers and monsters from the Empire were trying to catch and injure him, but I managed to get there in time. As soon as I got him, I rode straight back here."

"And you sustained your injuries when you collected him from the palace gates?" Atemu asked.

Jonouchi nodded.

"But I don't understand," Anzu said. She was sitting on Yuugi's bed again and had taken his hand. "How is that 'strange'?"

"Well, when I was riding towards the palace, something flew over my head. It looked like some sort of monster. And it did not seem to be working for the Empire because it came from the same direction as I had."

"You mean a monster from our own kingdom flew to the Empire's palace?" Atemu asked. Again, Jonouchi nodded. "That _is_ strange. I wonder who could have summoned that monster…"

Anzu said nothing, deciding to be very quiet.

"Well, whoever it was, I am grateful they did." Atemu looked back at his brother, before sighing again and closing his eyes. "I am just thankful Yuugi is back home. I missed him so much…"

"…And…I missed you too…Atemu…"

Atemu's eyes shot open and he let out a sharp gasp of surprise. It couldn't be, could it? Both he, Anzu and Jonouchi looked down at Yuugi's bed, hoping against hope they were right. They all let out a cheer at the sight before them.

Yuugi was awake, and smiling up at all of them.

"Y-Yuugi," Atemu gasped in disbelief. "You're…you're alive!"

"I should hope so," Yuugi joked. His voice was weak. "It is good to see you again brother. I'm sorry I ran off like-"

"There is no need to apologise," Atemu interrupted. He sat on Yuugi's bed, opposite Anzu. "As long as you're alive, that is the most important thing."

Yuugi smiled. "I have something of yours." He lifted himself up slightly, groaning in pain as he did so. Anzu and Atemu jumped up in alarm.

"Yuugi!" said Atemu, anxiously. "You shouldn't move yet!"

Yuugi didn't listen however. Propping himself up with one elbow, he slowly removed the Millennium Puzzle from around his neck with one hand. Once the strap was over his head, he lowered himself back down onto his bed. He held up the Puzzle to his brother.

"Here. I'm…sorry I took it…without permission."

Atemu simply let out a small laugh. He took the Puzzle with one hand and held onto Yuugi's hand with the other.

"Like I said before, there is no need to apologise. You are my brother, and I can never stay mad at you." He placed the Millennium Puzzle back where it belonged, once again feeling the familiar weight on the back of his neck. "I would do anything to protect you, and I know you would do the same for me." He laughed. "You have just proved you would."

"Not the best way to show how much I care about my brother, was it?" Yuugi asked sheepishly.

"No, it wasn't," Anzu spoke up. Her voice was shaking due to her emotions.

Yuugi looked up at the brunette he had become so fond of. The whole time he was away, she was always on his mind. Night and day.

"Anzu. I'm sorry I broke my promise to you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course I can! How can I stay mad at you?" She wiped the tears of happiness from the corners of her eyes. "Just promise me you won't do anything like this ever again."

Yuugi let out a small laugh. He squeezed Anzu's hand with his own.

"I promise…" He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it softly.

"Yuugi…" Anzu said under her breath.

"I'm…glad I survived to see you again."

"We're all happy you're alive, my friend," Jonouchi said.

"Me too," Yuugi smiled. He looked around at his surroundings. "How did I end up in my room?"

"Atemu sent out search parties looking for you," Anzu answered. "But no one could find you. After five days, Jonouchi decided to take matters into his own hands."

"I left the palace and vowed to only return when I found you," Jonouchi said nobly. "I headed straight for the Empire's palace. When I got there, I saw you coming out of the gates, soldiers from the Empire attacking you from behind. I knew I had to get you out as fast as I could, but when I did finally reach you, you were unconscious. I picked you up, put you on my horse and rode out of there as fast as I could."

"He brought you straight back here," Atemu finished off. "Priest Isis used her Holy Elf to heal most of your wounds…but…"

"But the Holy Elf lost her power before she could completely heal the more serious wounds. Am I right?" Yuugi said. Atemu nodded sadly. "Don't look so glum. I will recover fast. You know how I hate staying in bed!"

Atemu chuckled. "Yes, that is true. You used to annoy mother when you were sick and refused to stay in bed."

"What? I wanted to play with my brother. Is that such a bad thing?"

"Not to me it wasn't. But enough of that. Now that we have answered your question, you must answer ours. What happened to you? How did you get all those injuries?"

"And why did you leave?" Anzu added.

Yuugi laughed gently. "That's more than one question, but I'll answer them anyway." He shifted his position slightly. "Well, first of all, I left because I didn't want Atemu to get hurt. He is the true Pharaoh of the Kingdom of Light, not me. If something happened to him and I had to take his place…well, I just didn't want that to happen. So I disguised myself as Atemu and left before anyone could stop me. But you saw me leaving. I'm surprised by that. I thought you were all asleep."

"We were," Atemu interrupted. "But I was woken by-" He stopped himself. He looked up at Anzu, unsure whether to continue or not.

"_I_ woke him up," Anzu continued. "I had…a vision. It told me you'd left."

"Ah, so that explains it," Yuugi smiled. "I suspected you received visions Anzu. I'm glad you trust us enough to tell us."

"Of course I trust you. How can I not? Now, please, tell us what happened after you left."

She squeezed his hand gently. He returned the gesture.

"All right then. It took me just over a day to reach the palace. When I arrived, they all thought I was Atemu. My disguise had worked…or so I thought. They treated me kindly and set me up in a room. I was immediately suspicious. The Empire are never kind to us, so I made sure to stay on my guard…

"For a couple of days I mainly stayed in my room, receiving meals three times a day, being brought whatever I needed to keep me entertained, the usual things you would expect from a host. Except for one thing. I never saw or heard anything from the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls. I thought 'he's the host. Why has he not greeted me or sent for me?'…

"After a few days, my suspicious of them grew. No one came to see me. No one contacted me. It was like I was a prisoner rather than a guest. So, one night, I decided to find out exactly what was going on. I slipped out of my room and sneaked my way around the castle. It wasn't long before I found the main hall, where the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls was hiding…

_-Flashback-_

_Yuugi tiptoed down the dark stone corridor, looking back behind and ahead of him for guards. His heart was racing in his chest. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins. Where were the guards? He was right outside the Main Hall, and yet there were no guards. He swallowed, hard. This was way too easy._

_He slowly approached the large wooden doors. He was nearly there. Only a few more steps…_

_A bolt of lightning flashes across the sky. A roar of thunder echoed down the hall. Yuugi jumped at the sudden sights and sounds, but soon recovered and continued his 'mission'. He crept towards the door, finding it slightly ajar. He looked inside the hall, and soon spotted the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls seated on a black stone throne. In his hand, he held his 'secret weapon'. Yuugi had heard stories about this 'weapon', but he had never been told what it looked like. He had to say he wasn't impressed._

_Yuugi listened in on the Leader's conversation. He was talking to someone, but no one else was in the hall. How was that possible?_

'He must be communicating via his 'secret weapon'' _Yuugi thought. He strained his ears to hear what was being said._

"_What do you mean he's not there?" The 'Master' shouted. There was a pause before he continued. "He did what?…But that means…So Atemu is…Ah, I see. Very noble of the Prince to do that…"_

_Yuugi swallowed. He had a bad feeling about this. He continued to listen, not aware of two shadows moving behind him._

"_Don't worry…" a name was said, but Yuugi could barely hear it. He strained his ears to try and hear better. "Our plan will proceed as planned. The final battle is finally upon us, and the Empire of Dark Souls will finally rule this pathetic world!"_

"_We will see about that," Yuugi said under his breath. "I will not let you destroy what is left of my home. I will fight- Hey! Let me go!"_

_The two shadows behind Yuugi had suddenly jumped out behind him and grabbed him by the arms, taking him by surprise. The two guards held him tight and dragged him into the room, ignoring his cries. They marched forward towards the 'Master'. When they reached the throne, they threw Yuugi to the floor. Yuugi let out a groan as he was winded. He slowly stood up as the guards left the hall, leaving him and the 'Master' all alone. _

"_So," the 'Master' said smugly. "Are you enjoying your stay Atemu? Or should I say…Yuugi?"_

"_Tch…" was all Yuugi could say._

"_I must say you had us all fooled," the 'Master' left his throne and made his way down towards Yuugi. "This little game of yours was a very clever idea."_

"_Stop mocking me…"_

_The 'Master' laughed as he slowly approached Yuugi. He stepped up right in front of him, his face only inches from Yuugi's own._

"_But now the game must end…"_

"_I will not let you destroy the Kingdom of Light," Yuugi spat. "You'll have to-AHH!"_

_Yuugi cried out in pain. The 'Master' smiled to himself as he removed the dagger from the side of Yuugi's body. Yuugi collapsed to the floor, holding his side. Blood was pouring freely out onto his hand._

_The 'Master' let out an evil laugh as he watched Yuugi suffer._

"_You're weak, Yuugi. Weak and pathetic," he stated. "There's no way you can defeat me."_

"_Oh…yeah?" Yuugi challenged weakly. He struggled to stand up. "We…we will see about that…"_

_With one hand (which was now drenched in blood) still covering the stab wound, he tried to reach his deck with his other hand. The 'Master' spotted what he was trying to do and merely laughed. _

"_You think you can summon a monster here? In the heart of darkness? Ha! Think again, little Prince." He held out his 'secret weapon' to Yuugi. "My weapon has enough power to stop all the Millennium Items. After all, it has been stealing their power for the past two years!" He paused and stepped towards Yuugi. "But it's not as if you can use the Millennium Puzzle anyway. Only your brother can. And you stole it from him." He laughed manically._

_Yuugi looked up at the evil man, breathing heavy due to the loss of blood. "You…bastard…"_

"_Tut tut tut. Such cruel swords. You will have to be punished…"_

_The 'Master' held up his 'secret weapon' in front of Yuugi as it began to emit a blinding red light. Yuugi covered his eyes with his free arm and waited for the light to die down. Just what was the 'Master' up to now? When the light finally disappeared, Yuugi was aware of another presence in the room. Something that growled. Something that wasn't human._

_Slowly looking up, he jumped back at the sight before him. A large, tinted white wolf-type creature was standing before him, separating him from the 'Master'. The 'wolf' let out a growl, baring his teeth at Yuugi._

"_S-Silver Fang…" Yuugi uttered the name of the monster under his breath._

"_Don't you have good eye sight," mocked the 'Master'._

"_B-But he is _my _monster."_

"_Not anymore," laughed the 'Master'. "You left your monster behind weeks ago when we attacked you at the oasis, so I decided to take him for myself. Now Silver Fang works for me."_

"_No…" Yuugi knew what was coming next. He braced himself._

"_Now my loyal monster…ATTACK!"_

_Silver Fang let out a howl and leaped towards the Prince. Yuugi yelled out in pain as Silver Fang brought up his powerful paws and slashed across his chest, ripping his tunic and breaking the skin. The force of the attack threw Yuugi to the other side of the hall. He hit his head on the stone wall, letting out a groan. Feeling groggy and sick, he opened his eyes and looked down at his chest. The wounds were deep and already bleeding freely. He needed to escape, fast…_

_But Yuugi didn't have enough time to recover and escape. Letting out another growl, Silver Fang charged at Yuugi again. Yuugi jumped out of the way just in time, but landed awkwardly on the floor. He was losing so much blood. He felt so weak. He couldn't move…_

_Silver Fang saw his prey on the floor and took the opportunity to attack. He bit and scratched at Yuugi, toying with him like a cat to a mouse. Yuugi screamed out in pain every time the razor sharp teeth pierced his skin, until he found he could scream no more._

_And all the time this was happening, the 'Master' just stood there and watched, a cruel smile on his face. After a few moments, he spoke._

"_That will do, Silver Fang."_

_The monster dropped Yuugi's brutally injured body and disappeared in a burst of light. The 'Master' placed the card back in his deck and made his way towards Yuugi. He held the dagger he used earlier in his hand._

"_Your time in this lifetime has come to an end," the 'Master' said, stopping in front of Yuugi._

_Yuugi tried to stand up, but found his could not due to his horrific injuries._

"_Please…no…" he begged. Blood was pouring freely from his injuries onto the cold floor._

"_It's such a shame that this had to come to an end so soon," the 'Master' continued, bringing his knife higher._

"_Please…"_

"_But now it's time to die!"_

_The 'Master' gave one last evil smile and brought the knife down onto Yuugi. _

"_AHHHH!" someone screamed. _

_Yuugi closed his eyes, preparing for the blow..._

_A few moments past, and Yuugi felt nothing (besides the pain from the injuries gained from Silver Fang). Slowing his heavy breathing down, he slowly opened his eyes, expected to be face to face with the end of the dagger. Instead, he got an unexpected surprise. Someone-or rather some_thing_- was hovering in front of him, separating him from the 'Master' (who was now on the floor looking up at the figure before him). The figure was dressed in a dark blue robe with an interesting headdress on their head. Yuugi instantly recognised the figure._

"_Maha Vailo?" he asked wearily._

_At the sound of his name, said monster turned his head. He smiled at Yuugi, before turning back at the 'Master'._

"_T-This is impossible," the 'Master' stuttered. He was as shocked as Yuugi was. "No one with a Millennium Item should be able to summon a monster here!"_

"_I was not summoned by a keeper of a Millennium Item," Maha Vailo spoke. "I was summoned by someone with a different kind of power. A power far stronger than that of the Millennium Items…"_

'Anzu…' _Yuugi thought. _'She must have somehow summoned Maha Vailo to help me.'

_Maha Vailo turned his head again and faced Yuugi. "Come, Prince Yuugi. We must return to the Kingdom of Light."_

"_Oh no you won't!" the 'Master' shouted, standing up. "You're not going anywhere Yuugi. You're-AH!"_

_The 'Master' jumped back, barely missing the lightning bolt Maha Vailo shot at him. Once he recovered from the shock, he tried to move towards Yuugi, but was blocked by another lightning bolt._

"_Why you…" _

"_Go!" Maha Vailo shouted to the Prince. "Escape while you can! I will be right behind you!"_

_Yuugi nodded and slowly stood up. He gasped as the sharp pain shot up his body, but he needed to escape. He needed to return to Illuminarta. He needed to return to his brother, and to Anzu. Slowly but surely he made his way to the hall entrance and walked out into the hall. Maha Vailo stayed behind him the entire time, stopping the 'Master' from reaching Yuugi._

"_Get back here!" The 'Master' shouted, dodging more lightning bolts. "You won't escape, little Yuugi. You won't escape. Guards! After him!"_

_Yuugi was now limping as fast as he could out the palace entrance. Maha Vailo had stayed behind at the palace to stop most of the guards from capturing Yuugi, but he had forgotten about the guards situated outside the main palace. Now they were charging after Yuugi, their monsters being summoned here and there, attacking him. Yuugi yelled out as his body suffered from more burns and scratches, but he still carried on._

"_Almost…there…" he encouraged himself. "Just…a little…further…Gah!" Another attack from one of the monsters hit Yuugi on the back, but still Yuugi continued. "Need to…escape…Have to…get home…"_

_Yuugi reached the gates that led out the palace, and saw a figure riding towards him from a distance. But before he could focus on who the figure was, Yuugi felt his knees buckle. He feel to the ground, the world around him turning black and silent._

-End Flashback-

"…The next thing I knew, I'm here, with all of you guys," Yuugi finished off.

There was a stunned silence. The trio crowded around Yuugi were amazed and horrified at the same time by Yuugi's story. He was so strong to have survived a battle like that, but he had suffered so much. They couldn't help but feel a little guilty. They were there to protect Yuugi, and they had failed that mission.

Anzu looked down at Yuugi. '_So Maha Vailo _did _find Yuugi. I'm glad. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't had summoned him.'_

"There's still something I don't understand," Jonouchi said thoughtfully. "The monster I saw flying past me must have been Maha Vailo. But how was he summoned? No one has enough power to do that at the moment."

"Don't ask me," Atemu shrugged. "I'm a clueless as you are."

"I know how he got there," Yuugi said, looking up at Anzu. Jonouchi and Atemu followed his gaze and let out a small gasp.

"_You_ summoned Maha Vailo?" Atemu asked Anzu, shocked.

"Er…well…Y-Yeah, I did," Anzu blushed. She felt so embarrassed.

"But how?"

"Yuugi taught me how to use the magic inside of me to summon monsters from my deck a while ago, right after the Empire attacked us. I'm sorry I didn't' tell anyone. I didn't think it was right."

"You don't have to apologise," Atemu said (again). "If you had not summoned Maha Vailo, Yuugi may not be here today. We all owe you a great deal, Anzu."

"T-Thank you," Anzu stuttered, still blushing.

"No, thank _you_ Anzu, for saving my life," Yuugi said, smiling. He wanted to tell her so many things. Thoughts were rushing through his head. Thousands of words appeared in his mind, desperate to escape his lips. But instead of speaking, he let out a rather loud yawn.

Atemu laughed. "You should rest now Yuugi," he said gently, brushing some of his brother's hair away from his eyes. "You have been through a lot and need to regain your strength. Please, go to sleep."

"O…OK Atemu…" Yuugi said sleepily. He closed his eyes and instantly fell asleep.

Deciding to let Yuugi rest peacefully, the trio excited the room as quietly as possible. They walked out the door, closing it softly behind them, cringing whenever it creaked loudly. Thinking they were the only ones there, they were surprised to see Malik standing right outside the door.

"Malik," Atemu said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Err…well…" Malik hesitated. How was he suppose to cover this up? "I…err…came up here to see if you were done. Th-The other Priests want to know how Yuugi is." '_Please let that work.'_

There was a tense, silent moment of hesitation, before Atemu spoke. Malik swallowed nervously.

"Well, as you can see, we are finished," he said. Malik sighed in relief. Not noticing this, Atemu continued. "As for Yuugi's condition, I will inform the Priests momentarily-"

"I'll tell them," Jonouchi interrupted, bowing. "I need to speak to Honda and Shizuka anyway."

"Very well, Jonouchi. I leave it to you."

Jonouchi bowed before his Pharaoh, before leaving for the Priests' chambers.

"I need to collect the ointment and spare bandages from Prince Yuugi's room," Malik spoke up.

"Very well. Just make sure you do not disturb my brother. He needs his rest."

"Yes, Pharaoh," Malik bowed.

He slowly opened the door to Yuugi's room and slipped inside. He closed the door behind him. But instead of walking over to Yuugi's bedside and collecting the clay pot and bandages, he waited by the door. After a few moments, he carefully opened the door again and made sure it was slightly ajar. He peeped through the gap. Good. Atemu and Anzu hadn't noticed. His plan was working perfectly. Now to wake Yuugi…

-I-

Atemu sighed and rubbed his forehead. "This is terrible."

Anzu blinked. "It is?"

Atemu looked up in surprise. "Don't you know what this means?" Anzu shook her head. "It means the Empire of Dark Souls is planning one final attack. The whole of Kemet will be involved in this bloody battle to the very end. And there are extremely high stakes. If we do not prevail, what is left of our world with be destroyed. And…" he hesitated.

"'And' what?" Anzu asked urgently. "What is it?"

"Atemu sighed again. "If we want to stand a chance against the Empire, it means that I have to lead our troops into battle."

"To the front line?" Anzu asked desperately. Atemu nodded. Anzu gave a small gasp. She struggled to find the right words. "But that means…you'll have to…you mean…leave Yuugi?"

Atemu nodded again.

"But he's only just returned home!" Anzu argued. "Hasn't he been through enough?"

"I know it's hard and will be painful for all of us, but there is no other way." He looked at the floor, ashamed. "I know it will hurt Yuugi deeply, but it has to be done. I just hope he can forgive me…"

"Atemu…"

Anzu stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up. She hated seeing her friends upset and always tried to do whatever he could to help them out.

"Of course he'll forgive you, Atemu. He's your brother. He can't stay mad at you forever."

"I hope you're right…"

"Of course I am. And don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll be right there by your side."

Atemu smiled. "Thank you, Anzu. You really are a true and loyal friend."

-I-

"Your highness!" Malik hissed loudly into the darkness. He continued to shake Yuugi's shoulders gently to wake him. "Your highness!"

Yuugi shifted in his bed, still half asleep. "Gmpf…"

"Your highness, please! Wake up! This is urgent."

"…Wha…"

"Prince Yuugi! Please! Wake up!"

Finally, after much shaking and calling, Yuugi managed to find the strength to wake up. He turned his bed to face the servant boy calling to him. He would have brushed away the sleep in his eyes, if his arms didn't ache so much. Instead, he tried to blink the sleep back.

"Malik?" he asked sleepily. He blinked to adjust to the dark light. "What are you doing here?" He was suspicious of the servant boy. He had been for the last couple of years.

Two years ago, when the Empire of Dark Souls first attacked, Malik was one of many to be taken away as prisoners, just like Mai was. But unlike Mai, Malik had some how managed to escape…or he claimed he had. When he had returned, Yuugi was still suffering from grief due to his parent's death. And as soon as Malik had entered the palace, he know something was different about him. His suspicions had only grown in the past few years.

Unfortunately, Atemu thought Yuugi was overreacting, and continued to have Malik working for them.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Prince Yuugi," Malik said humbly. His voice sounded urgent. "But I just couldn't hide this from you anymore."

"Hide? Hide what?"

"Well, whilst you were gone, something…happened…between the Pharaoh and Anzu…"

"What do you mean?" His suspicion were now slowly turning into anger.

"Well, the other day, I came to check on the Pharaoh. I was about to go in, when I heard voices inside. Happy voices. A few moments later, the door suddenly opened. I hid around the corner and watched as Anzu came out of the Pharaoh's chamber. She looked hot and flustered, but had a dreamy and happy look on her face. She soon went back to her room, allowing me to see the Pharaoh. When I went in, he had the same look on his face."

"You mean to tell me Atemu and Anzu are…together?" Malik nodded sadly. "I don't believe you."

"Please, your highness. I would never lie to you. If you don't believe me, just listen for yourself."

Malik turned his head and looked behind him. Yuugi tried to look past him and saw the slightly ajar door. He could hear voices from outside. Voices belonging to Anzu and Atemu. He listened carefully, his heart pounding in his chest.

'_Please let Malik be wrong…"_

"…You mean…leave Yuugi?" Yuugi heard Anzu say. There was a pause. "But he's only just returned home! Hasn't he been through enough?"

"I know it's hard and will be painful for all of us, but there is no other way." Atemu said softly. Yuugi could feel his heart beginning to break, but he still listened, praying he was mishearing. "I know it will hurt Yuugi deeply, but it has to be done. I just hope he can forgive me…"

"Atemu…" Another pause. Then, "Of course he'll forgive you, Atemu. He's your brother. He can't stay mad at you forever."

"I hope you're right…"

"Of course I am. And don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll be right there by your side."

"Enough!" Yuugi tried to shout, but it came out as a loud whisper. He covered his ears to block out what they were saying now. He didn't even want to know what Atemu had said next. He could feel his heart breaking into a million pieces in his chest.

'_What Malik said is true. Atemu and Anzu really are together. But I thought Anzu…Anzu…I was wrong about her. She did not care for me. She only used me to get to Atemu. How foolish was I, believing that she could feel for me…what I feel for her…'_

"Prince Yuugi?" Malik asked. He tried to hide the smile on his face.

Yuugi slowly lowered his hands. He listened. The voices outside had disappeared. He could feel hot tears prickling in the corners of his eyes.

"Why did you tell me this?" he asked Malik with a shaky voice.

"I do not like lying to you. I didn't want you to get hurt, so I thought it best to tell you. Are you all right-"

"Leave me!" Yuugi ordered. "I do not want to be disturbed. Tell everyone that no one is allowed to enter my chamber besides Jonouchi. He is the only one I wish to see."

"But sire-"

"NOW!"

Malik flinched. But he had his orders. And he had to obey them. Quickly picking up the clay pot and the spare bandages, he excited the room, closing the door (properly) behind him. He made his way down the corridor, back to his own chamber.

'_Well done "1A"' _the 'Master' congratulated through the mind link. '_You have done well.'_

'_Thank you, Master,'_ Malik replied.

'_Now it is time to prepare for the final phase of my plan. And when we're through, Kemet will finally bow down to me!'_

Malik threw his head back and laughed manically, earning him a few strange looks from other servants.

Meanwhile, back in Yuugi's room, the young Prince had finally given in to his emotions. Burying his head in his pillow and ignoring the pain from his injuries, he cried. He cried and wept all night long, for he had just lost the only woman he loved…to his own brother.

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

Tada! What do you think? It wasn't as exciting as some of my other chapters, but I'm pleased with it. I'm sorry if it seems a little rushed! If there are any (major) mistakes, please let me know and I'll amend them asap.

Anyway, like I said before, his chapter was dedicated to everyone that has reviewed so far. Thank you guys so much!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in January! Right, now to go to the airport…


	12. Let The War Begin

I'm not having such a great start to the New Year. First of all, my flight back home was delayed by 12 hours! Second of all, when I get home, I got ill. And thirdly, I'm currently taking a few exams. How much more can I take!

Anyway, there is one thing that's cheering me up at the moment…you guys! Your reviews really do make my day (I know I've said that before, but it's true). You guys have saved me from going mad!

So, I would like to thank:

**yangs**

**Greater Lights**

**KaibaYamiLover**

**ImCrazyAndProudOfIt**

**Crystallynne**

**kobear91**

**priestess-one-shot**

**trekker4life**

Domo arigatou! You all rock!

Now, lets get on with the story, shall we? This is where all the exciting things start to happen…cue evil laughter

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! Come on, you've seen all the hints they drop at each other, right?

-I-

Another World

Chapter 12: Let The War Begin

-I-

It didn't take long for Yuugi to recover from his injuries sustained by the Empire of Dark Souls. With a little help from Priest Isis's Holy Elf, most of his injuries had healed, leaving only a few scars, and was back to his normal self in just eight days. Or so everyone thought. Though on the outside he looked fighting fit, on the inside his heart was still broken.

Believing Malik's words, Yuugi had taken to barricading himself in his chamber, having Jonouchi and a few other guards standing outside his door at all times. He refused to speak to Anzu, declining to give her a reason why. Pharaoh Atemu on the other hand was a different story. Although Prince Yuugi had ordered the guards not to allow him entry, the guards could not disobey their Pharaoh and were forced to let him in anyway. But he would never stay long, for Yuugi barely spoke to him as much as he did to Anzu. And just like he did with Anzu, he refused to give a reason for his actions. They only spoke (briefly) when they were discussing their upcoming battle…

When Yuugi was well enough, Pharaoh Atemu decided to hold an assembly to plan out their next move against the Empire of Dark Souls. Everyone knew that a war was imminent. There was no way around it. They could only prepare as best they could.

Sunset on Yuugi's ninth day back in Illuminarta and the planning was almost complete. Gathered in the Assembly Room around the large rectangular stone table, Pharaoh Atemu, Prince Yuugi, Jonouchi, Honda, Anzu and the Six Priests/Keepers of the Millennium Items were busy discussing their plan of action (as best they could under the circumstances).

"What about if we send our troops here?" Priest Shada asked. "It _is_ on the borders of all three Kingdoms."

Spread out on the stone table was a large map of Kemet. The land had been divided up equally into three kingdoms: The Kingdom of Hope (capital: Praisia), The Kingdom of Destiny (capital: Sharluka), and The Kingdom of Light (capital: Illuminarta).

Running through the three Kingdoms was the United River which had once united the three kingdoms…until the Empire of Dark Souls had invaded. Sprouting from the United River were three smaller rivers: The River Faiku, that ran through the Kingdom of Hope; The River Shina in the Kingdom of Destiny; and The River Illuma for the Kingdom of Light.

On the map, the capitals of each kingdom-along with other large and important cities/towns, large oasis's, the royal burial grounds and other important landmarks-had all been clearly marked out to make planning and travelling easier.

Priest Mahado eyed the area Priest Shada had pointed out. He shook his head.

"No, that would not do," he disagreed. "Even though it is on the border of all three kingdoms, the Empire of Dark Souls has already taken over this area. Look…"

He raised his hand over the map and chanted an incantation under his breath. His Millennium Ring gave off a small glow as its magic was activated. Small gasps of surprise and amazement were heard as a dark cloud appeared over the map, completely covering the Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny, and a small fraction of the Kingdom of Light.

"This dark cloud represents which areas the Empire of Dark Souls have taken over," Mahado continued. "As you can see, they have already started to take over our own kingdom."

"Which means," Priest Seto said thoughtfully, "that the only other place we could send our troops would be here." He pointed to a large, empty area in the corner of the Kingdom of Light, situated just underneath the United River. "There are no major cities in this area and it is right in between us and the Empire. Also, if we could get there as soon as possible, we could secure our location on the high ground…"

"…And it would be easy to evacuate the small villages in that area," Priest Isis spoke up.

"How long would it take for our troops to reach it?" Pharaoh Atemu inquired.

"If they left tonight they would be there by tomorrow afternoon," answered Priest Karim.

"Hmm…" Atemu thought for a moment, contemplating whether or not to use this area as a battle ground. He soon came to a decision. "All right. We'll send our troops there. Like Priest Seto said we would have an advantage if we could secure the high ground."

"How many men do we have?" Priest Akunadin asked the group.

"We have about 100,000 men," Honda replied. "Most of them are from our own kingdom, but there are a few thousands that managed to escape the Empire from the Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny."

"How many of them can use heka (1)?" Atemu asked.

"Only about 1,000," Honda replied. "1,001 if you include me."

"Are they ready to depart?"

"Yes. Just give the word and we'll head off."

"All right. Tell your troops to prepare. We'll leave as soon as we can."

"Will you be accompanying them, sire?" Priest Isis asked.

Atemu hesitated. Over the past week he had been contemplating whether or not he would fight with his troops. He desperately wanted to protect his people, but he had had enough of fighting. And after what happened to Yuugi, he couldn't help but feel scared. But he was the Pharaoh, and he had to do what was best for his kingdom.

He sighed heavily and bowed his head. "I've thought about this for a few days now, and I've decided that-"

"That _I_ should go with Honda and the troops," Yuugi interrupted. He stepped forward out of the shadows. Everyone in the room turned to look at the Prince (who had not said a word until now).

"What did you say?" a shocked Atemu asked his brother.

"I said I will go," Yuugi replied a little too harshly.

"But Yuugi, you cannot. _I'm_ the one who should go."

"Why? I can see in your eyes that you're in no shape to go off and fight in a bloody battle such as this. Besides, you need to stay here in case the Empire launches another attack on Illuminarta. Your heka is stronger than mine."

"But Yuugi-"

"No! I refuse to hear your argument Atemu," Yuugi said forcefully. "If you do not allow me to go, you know I'll just go on ahead anyway. Remember what happened last time you didn't listen to me?"

"All too well," Atemu said sadly as the memories flashed through his mind. His heart sank. He knew there was only one option. Yuugi had managed to trap him. Reluctantly, he said: "Very well, Yuugi. You may go in my place-"

"NO!" Anzu shouted.

Priest Isis looked up at the teenage girl. "Is something wrong, Anzu?"

"Yes something's wrong!" Anzu yelled slamming her hands on the table. "Yuugi can't go into battle."

"Why not?" Yuugi asked bitterly. He crossed him arms across his chest.

"You've only just recovered from your last encounter with the Empire. You know personally how strong they are. You must be stupid to even think about going back. And besides, you promised me you wouldn't leave me again, Yuugi. Doesn't that mean anything to you? Anything at all?"

Yuugi scowled. "Maybe some promises were made to be broken."

Now it was Anzu's turn to have her heart broken. Feeling the pain in her chest, she covered her mouth with her hands. Her voice shook as she spoke.

"You…You don't mean that…do you?"

The scowl on Yuugi's face said it all. Feeling another painful tug in her chest, Anzu bolted from the room trying to stop the tears from falling.

Yuugi just watched her go. He didn't feel guilty. He didn't feel sad. In fact, if anything, he felt good. _'She deserved that after what she did to me.'_

"Yuugi," Atemu hissed into his brother's ear. "Why did you say that?"

"Because it had to be said," Yuugi hissed back.

"Yuugi, what is wrong with you? Since you returned home, you've changed. What has happened to my brother?" Yuugi didn't answer. Atemu growled lowly. "Yuugi, go after Anzu and apologise."

"Why should I?" Yuugi asked sounding like a small child.

"Because you hurt her. Did you not you see the pained look in her eyes?"

"No, I did not. And if you're so worried about her, why don't _you_ go after her?"

"Because I'm not the one who hurt her. Now go before I get Jonouchi and Honda to drag you there by the ears."

"All right! I'll go!" Yuugi surrendered, throwing his arms up in the air. Giving his brother one last evil glare, he (slowly) made his way out of the hall. He was aware of his brother's gaze burning into his back as he went, but he chose to ignore it.

It didn't take long for Yuugi to catch up with Anzu. She had stopped halfway down the corridor by a window to 'gather herself'. Yuugi walked up behind her and folded his arms across his chest and began tapping his foot. He waited a few moments, letting the girl let out a few dry sobs, before his patience finally ran out.

"Will you stop that?" he said irritated. "It's starting to get annoying."

Anzu jumped at the sound of Yuugi's voice and turned around. "Y-Yuugi."

"Why are you making such a fuss about this?" Yuugi continued, ignoring Anzu. "As you would say, it's no big deal."

"No big deal?" Anzu practically shouted. "No big deal? Yuugi, this is a very big deal! If you go with Honda, you'll be walking right into the face of danger. You could get hurt again…or worse. You could be killed! Didn't you think about that!"

There was a pause, before Yuugi stated, "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

Anzu felt another pang in her heart. "Why are you saying these things? What's happened to you?"

"Nothing has happened to me." Took a few steps to the right. "I've just changed this past week, and for the better. If you don't like it, then you're just going to have to deal with it."

"Yuugi-"

"Besides," Yuugi interrupted. He threw his arms to his side and stared at Anzu. Anzu flinched at the anger in his eyes. "Why should you care about whether I get hurt or not? You don't care about me."

"W-What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me Anzu!" Yuugi cried out in anger. "I heard you and my brother talking the night I returned home. You were planning on leaving me when I had only just got back!"

"That's not true-"

"You only used me to get to Atemu, didn't you!" Yuugi suddenly asked, cutting off Anzu.

"No!" Anzu protested. "Of course I didn't! You have to believe me Yuugi!"

"Why should I? I heard you myself-"

"You misheard us! You've made a mistake!"

"And I suppose Malik made a mistake too?" Yuugi asked sarcastically.

Anzu froze. "Malik? What's Malik got to do with this?"

Yuugi let out a laugh. "Don't pretend you don't know. When I was with the Empire, he informed me of what he saw. He claims he saw you coming out of Atemu's room. His exact words were: 'She looked hot and flustered, but had a dreamy and happy look on her face.'" He folder his arms across his chest again. "Seems like you and my brother were busy whilst I was away."

Anzu felt her lip quiver with shock. But before she could say anything, Yuugi continued.

"You never cared about me, did you? You just used me to get to my brother."

"No! I didn't! I promise you Yuugi I would never do something like that! Why won't you believe me?"

"Because what you say goes against Malik's words."

"So you believe Malik's words and not mine?"

"Yes."

"But why? How? You told me yourself you don't trust Malik after he was taken by the Empire. The Yuugi I know would never listen to his lies!"

"Well the Yuugi you know is gone! Forever!"

"No-"

"The Yuugi you once knew was destroyed the moment he heard those cruel words said by his own brother and the woman he once cared about. The old Yuugi was weak. I am not."

"Yuugi please-" Anzu began to plead, but she was cut off again.

"Why can you not admit what you did?" Yuugi spat. "Admit you used me to get to Atemu! Admit you wanted to hurt me! Admit you _enjoyed_ breaking my heart!"

It was then that Anzu finally broke. "Yuugi I would never hurt you BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

Anzu covered her mouth, but it was too late. The words had just slipped out of her mouth and were now out in the open. A stunned silence fell between the pair, and the tension increased.

"I…I…I…" Anzu stuttered, unable to find the right words.

Yuugi just stared at her with vacant eyes. Too shocked to move. Too shocked to speak. Too shocked to do anything.

Anzu felt her world crumbling around her. She had just admitted something she had kept buried deep inside her. Something she was not ready to admit. And Yuugi's reaction (or lack of it) was not helping to reassure her.

Doing the first thing that came into her head, Anzu bolted. She disappeared down the hall and never looked back.

Yuugi watched her go, his eyes still blank, his body still numb from the shock. As Anzu's quick footsteps disappeared into the distance, he collapsed to his knees. Putting his hands on the ground in front of him, he lowered his head to try and control his heavy breathing. Slowly, Anzu's words began to sink in.

-I-

Anzu slammed her door shut and ran to her bed. She threw herself onto the soft mattress and buried her face into her pillow, soaking it with the streams of tears pouring out of her eyes.

"Why, why, WHY?" she wailed, heavily sobbing into the pillow. "Why me? Why do I always get hurt! What have I done to deserve all this pain?"

She cried and wailed for what felt like forever. Her mind was swimming with thoughts of anger, but mostly pain. All her life she had experience pain. Ever since her mother's death, the pain hadn't stopped. She thought that if she left her father, the pain would finally disappear and she could actually live a happy and peaceful life…

'_But I was wrong. I'll never be happy. I'm just a worthless, pathetic girl…'_

She continued to let her tears fall until she found she had no strength left to form any new tears. She lay in her bed for a while, her face still buried in her pillow, until she forced herself up. She sat on her knees and wiped away whatever tears were left in her eyes. All was silent outside. The sky was now covered in a purple darkness, and the people of the Kingdom of Light were now under the spell of sleep. She wondered how long she had been lying there, crying. Hours must have gone by since her confrontation with Yuugi and she hadn't noticed. She cast her eyes down and held onto the crystal necklace around her neck.

'_What should I do mum?' _she prayed silently. _'I'm not angry at Yuugi. I know I should be, but I just can't do it. It wasn't his fault he acted like he did. He was tricked by Malik.'_ She growled at the thought of the tinted-white haired boy. _'Hiretsukan (2)! This is all _his_ fault. I bet he works for the Empire of Dark Souls. I bet he's the spy Atemu and Yuugi were worried about a while ago. He tricked Yuugi, knowing he would act this way. He knew that if he provoked Yuugi enough, it would only be a matter of time before he would do something reckless like this._' A sudden and horrible thought entered Anzu's mind.

"And he's fallen for Malik's trick," she said out loud. "But that means…when Yuugi goes with Honda…h-he'll be killed!"

She jumped off her bed and grabbed her backpack, tipping the contents onto her bed.

"I can't let him do this," she said determinedly to herself as she rummaged through her belongings. "I can't let him die. I can't let the Empire of Dark Souls win…and there's only one way to do that…"

She soon found what she was looking for. Stripping out of her clothes, she redressed herself in a turquoise top, yellow jacket, white shorts and trainers/sneakers (3); the clothes she had worn the day she had run away from home, and the clothes she had worn when Yuugi found her in the desert.

Once she was dressed she prepared everything else. She wrapped up some of the food Shizuka had brought to her earlier-before she had barricaded herself in to cry-and put them into her backpack. She filled up an old plastic bottle she found in one of her bag pockets, with the water Shizuka had brought up with the food. She then took a few old clothes and stuffed them into the bag too for some make shift bandages. She prayed she didn't have to use them.

Once everything was packed, she took her pouch of Duel Monster cards from her bedside table. Opening the flap, she took out her deck and flicked through the cards until she came across the Black Magician Girl. Taking it out of her deck, she looked longingly at it.

'_Yuugi gave me this card. I remember it so clearly…'_

_-Flashback-_

"_I think you left this in here by mistake," Anzu said, holding the Black Magician Girl card out to Yuugi._

_Yuugi shook his head and pushed the card back to towards Anzu. "No I didn't. I want you to have her."_

"_Yuugi, this is very kind of you, it really is. More than I deserve. But I don't think I can. She's really important to you…"_

"_And you're important to me too. Anzu, I want you to keep Black Magician Girl with you. That way, a part of me will always be with you, no matter where we are. Besides," Yuugi giggled, "Black Magician Girl likes you a lot. She told me so herself."_

"_Yuugi…I…" Anzu was touched by Yuugi's words, and didn't know what to say. So instead, she let her actions speak for her._

_Placing Black Magician Girl on the top, she placed her deck into her new pouch and attached it to the belt around her waist. Then, before she changed her mind, she hugged Yuugi. Yuugi, taken by the surprise, stood there for a moment as Anzu hugged him. But he soon recovered and hugged her back._

"_Thank you," Anzu whispered in his ear._

"_No problem," Yuugi whispered back._

-End Flashback-

'_He trusted me with this card and stood up for me when Atemu found out I had it. He wanted to protect me…'_ She placed the card on her pillow. _'Well now it's time for me to protect him. On my own.'_

Hitching her backpack onto her shoulder, she opened her door and looked up and down the hall. All was silent. Yuugi and Atemu must be in their rooms, and no guards were in sight. Using the darkness to her advantage, she sneaked out her room and made her way down the corridor.

'_Let the war begin.'_

-I-

"Faster, FASTER!" Malik ordered his black stallion, kicking him in the sides. "Faster, you pathetic animal!"

The horse wined in pain, before increasing its pace. Malik leaned forward, placing his body as low as possible. He stole a quick glance behind him. Illuminarta had disappeared from sight long ago. All he could see now were the distant tourch lights from a town he had passed hours ago. He looked back ahead of him and saw only jet black sand.

'_Malik, report'! _the 'Master's' voice suddenly snapped in Malik's mind. _'How far are you from the palace?'_

'_Not to far,' _Malik replied through the mind link. _'It should only take me a couple more hours, depending on how long this stupid horse can last.'_

'_Well hurry up,'_ the 'Master' snapped again. _'I need you here to greet some…_visitors_, who will be gracing us with their presence soon. We wouldn't want to make them feel unwelcome now, would we?'_

'_Of course not, Master. I will be more than happy to help,' _Malik replied, sarcasms clearly audio able in his voice.

He sensed the 'Master closing the mind link and concentrated on the direction he was going. He kicked his horse again, urging it to go faster. A cruel smile appeared on his lips as he thought of what was to come.

'_It's only a matter of time…'_

-I-

"OK, now how do I do this?"

Anzu placed her hands on her hips, completely stumped. She had managed to make it out of the palace without anyone seeing her-though she had had a close call when Priest Isis appeared out of nowhere all of a sudden. What was Isis doing up at that time anyway?

The thought hadn't stayed in Anzu's mind for long. After making sure Isis was gone, she continued her little 'trip'. She had sneaked out the main palace, and made her way across the courtyard, sticking to the shadows to make sure she wasn't spotted by any of the guards. She was now standing inside the royal stables. In front of her, was the chestnut brown horse Yuugi had given her just after the Empire had attacked Illuminarta some time ago. Anzu had decided to name the horse 'Teana', after one of her ancestors. She didn't know why she had named it, or why she had chosen 'Teana'. The name had just appeared in her head, for no reason at all. It just seemed to fit.

Anzu let out a loud "huff", completely stumped on the current situation: how to saddle a horse.

"Don't look at me like that, Teana," Anzu said to her horse. "I never got taught how to do this. Sure, I can ride now, but saddle a horse?" She sighed. "Why is it always me-"

CRASH

Anzu spun round. Her gaze fell on where a broken pottery jug lay on the floor, underneath the low shelf it had fallen off. Or been pushed off by accident.

A strange sensation came over the Japanese teenager. The sensation of not being alone. She searched with her eyes around the dark stables, and strained her ears for the slightest noise that sounded out of place. But all she could hear were the horses' heavy breathing and snorting.

"W-Who's there?" Anzu asked, trying to sound brave. She continued to search silently, waiting for an answer.

But she got none. She stepped forward warily, thinking she saw something move by the stable door.

"I know you're there," she called to the door. "I can hear you, you know." And she could, now she was closer to the door. Heavy breathing. From a male by the sounds of it. "Come out!"

There was a pause, before someone moved from behind the stable door. As the door creaked open, letting the moonlight stream into the dark stables, Anzu frowned as she tried to make out the familiar figure in front of her.

"Jonouchi, is that you?" She asked, spotting the wild blonde hair belonging to said guard. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Jonouchi replied. He folded his arms across his chest, waiting for an answer.

"I asked you first," Anzu said.

"Ladies first," Jonouchi retorted.

"Age before beauty," Anzu retaliated.

"But we're the same age!"

"But you look older," Anzu said with a smile. She heard Jonouchi give a small growl. "Look, you might as well tell me why you're here. Otherwise I'll…" It was then that she spotted a bag of some sort slung over Jonouchi's shoulder. She suddenly realised just what Jonouchi was up to.

Jonouchi eyed Anzu. "Otherwise you'll what?"

Anzu ignored the question. "You're going after the Empire of Dark Souls, aren't you?" she asked, pointing to his bag.

"Err…" this took Jonouchi by surprised. He tried to hide his bag behind his back. "W-Why do you think I-I'm going after the Empire?"

Anzu stated three simple words. "To save Mai."

A dark shadow washed over Jonouchi's face. He asked with a cold voice, "How did you know about Mai?"

"A little birdie told me," Anzu replied, not wanting to give Shizuka away. "I know all about what happened two years ago, when the Empire first attacked. About how she was taken prisoner. About how no one's heard from her since. And about how you keep on getting into trouble to rescue her. You're going after the Empire to save her, and for revenge, aren't you?"

"And what about you?" Jonouchi suddenly asked. He pointed to Anzu's own bag. "You're going after the Empire too, are you not?"

"And why would I do that?"

"To protect Prince Yuugi."

Anzu flinched at the Prince's name. She held her arms to comfort herself and looked away, "I'm not going because of _him._"

Jonouchi was taken aback by this statement, but quickly recovered. "But you admit you are going to the Empire of Dark Souls."

"So what if I am?" Anzu said in a outburst, dropping her arms by her sides. "You're doing the exact same thing."

"But I know what I'm doing. And I have heka."

"I have magic inside of me too! I can fight just like you can!"

"And what makes you think you can fight like me?"

"I know I can! I know I can fight and defeat the Empire once and for all. It won't be easy, but I can do it. And besides, I know the Empire is interested in me. It would be better if I go to them rather than have them attack us again. It would save a lot of innocent lives if I left."

Jonouchi was shocked by the girl's speech. Never had he heard such determination. He had to admit, he was slightly impressed. But like before, he recovered quickly. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Nothing I say will change your mind, will it?" He asked. Anzu shook her head. Jonouchi dropped his hand and turned around, heading for the door. "Then I guess we're going together."

"W-What?" Anzu blinked.

Jonouchi stopped, tilting his head back to face her. "It's not like we have a choice. If I were to go on my own, you would tell the others as soon as I excited the palace. And I would do the same to you."

"Good point…"

Jonouchi smiled, before continuing out the stables. "Come on. We need to leave as soon as possible."

Anzu hesitated. "Erm…don't we need a horse?"

"A horse is too slow. I know a faster way to get there. Now, are you coming or not?"

Anzu quickly made up her mind and jogged to catch up with the young guard. She followed him as he made his way to the guard on duty at the palace gates. They stopped in front of him. Anzu eyes Jonouchi curiously. Just what was he up to?

She soon found out.

"I'll give you 2 dosha's to keep your mouth shut about seeing us tonight," Jonouchi said sternly, taking out two gold coins from his pouch.

The guard eyed Jonouchi, the money in his hand, Anzu standing behind the blonde, then at the money again. He looked back up at Jonouchi.

"Make it 3 and you've got a deal," he grunted.

"Deal!" Jonouchi said, taking out another coin. He dumped the three gold coins into the guards sweaty hands-ignoring his cheers of joy-and indicated Anzu to follow him.

"Where are we going?" Anzu asked as they walked out the palace gates.

"You'll see…" Jonouchi replied. He started to make his way down the stone steps.

A thought hit Anzu. "We're not walking, are we?"

"Of course not! I'm not that crazy, no matter what the Pharaoh might say about me."

Relief flooded over Anzu. She was glad she didn't have to walk all the way to the Empire. But that relief soon vanished, replaced by curiosity. Just how were they suppose to get there anyway?

Her question was soon answered when they reached the gates that granted access to Illuminarta. After bribing the guards there to keep their mouths shut about seeing the pair-Jonouchi had had to pay the two guards 5 dosha's each, something he was not happy about-they made their way outside the gates and into the desert.

Jonouchi stopped a few feet away from the now closed gates. Anzu stopped just behind him.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Just watch," Jonouchi replied. He opened his Duel Monster pouch and took a card from the top of his deck. He held it up in front of him and studied for a moment. A smile appeared on his lips, and he nodded his head. "Perfect."

He held up the card above his head. Anzu knew what was coming next.

"I summon, Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Jonouchi called.

The eye-shaped pendent-which Anzu had come to recognise as the symbol of the Millennium Items-around Jonouchi's neck glowed, along with the card above his head. Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of the card and into the air in front of them. Out of the light, a large jet black head of a dragon sprouted, followed by two jet black wings, a long black body, and two strong hind legs. There was an almighty roar before the mighty black dragon fully appeared in front of the pair, his red eyes shinning vibrantly in the moonlight.

Jonouchi smiled at the sight of his favourite monster and greeted him like he would an old friend. He then climbed up onto his dragon's back. Once he was comfortable, he looked back down at Anzu.

"Are you coming?" he asked. He held out his hand. "It would be better if two of us fought the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls. One of us would be killed in an instant."

Anzu let out a nervous laugh. Jonouchi was right. If only one person were to stand up against the Leader, they would surely be killed almost instantly. Just look at what happened to Yuugi. But if two people with enough heka were to face him together, they just might stand a chance.

Swallowing the little fear she had, she walked over to the great dragon and took Jonouchi's hand. The guard helped her up onto Red Eyes' back, making sure she was comfortable behind him. Once they were settled, Jonouchi ordered his dragon into the air.

Anzu felt her stomach lurch as Red Eyes suddenly took off into the air. Her body rocked side to side as the dragon's wings beat hard to get to a good height. Once they were above the clouds, the pattern of the dragon's wing beats became regular. Giving a roar (to which Jonouchi cringed at), the Red Eyes Black Dragon slanted forward and began their flight.

To the centre of the Empire of Dark Souls.

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

_(1) heka: _Egyptian word for magic

_(2) Hiretsukan: _Japanese for 'bastard'

_(3) in a turquoise top, yellow jacket, white shorts and trainers/sneakers: _what she wore in the Doma/Waking the Dragons series when she was travelling with Yami.

What do you think? Was it exciting or not? If it wasn't, I promise you it will get a lot more exciting in chapters to come.

Anyway, please R&R and save me from this hell hole that is my life!


	13. Into The Shadow Realm

I am so sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter, but school has been a nightmare these past few weeks (and still is now). I have coursework deadlines all over the place and countless music exams, so you can understand why I haven't had much time. But I've finally managed to get this new chapter up so I hope you like it.

As always, I would like to say a HUGE thank you to the fantastic people that reviewed:

**Dark Shining Light**

**Raiy**

**Greater Lights**

**ImCrazyAndProudOfIt**

**kobear91**

**KaibaYamiLover**

**Applegrape8910**

**trekker4life**

**priestess-one-shot**

**yangs**

Thanks everyone. Your reviews continue to motivate me! The more there are, the more I'm motivated.

Right, lets get on with this, shall we? I'm so excited! This is where things start to get a lot more dramatic!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple. And I know a lot of other people would like that too

-I-

Another World

Chapter 13: Into The Shadow Realm

-I-

"_You only used me to get to Atemu, didn't you!"_

"_No! Of course I didn't! You have to believe me Yuugi!"_

"No…please…" Yuugi pleaded in his sleep, wanting the painful memories to stop playing again and again in his mind. He turned this way and that in his bed, in an attempt to shake the horrible scenes away.

"_You never cared about me, did you? You just used me to get to my brother."_

"_No! I didn't! I promise you Yuugi I would never do something like that! Why won't you believe me?"_

He buried his face underneath his soft pillow to try and block the memories, but they only intensified.

"…Please…stop…" he cried.

"_Why can you not admit what you did? Admit you used me to get to Atemu! Admit you wanted to hurt me! Admit you _enjoyed _breaking my heart!"_

"_Yuugi I would never hurt you BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"_

"ANZU!" Yuugi screamed. He bolted up in bed, his pillow flying onto the floor. He breathed deeply, trying to regain control over his unsteady breathing. He felt the cold sweat trickle slowly down his body as his body began to recover from the shock sustained from his dreams.

'_But they were not dreams,'_ a voice inside Yuugi's head told him. '_Those were my memories, from what happened today with Anzu. It seems my conscience will not let me forget about my mistake so easily.'_

His breathing soon regained its normal pace, he felt more calm and relaxed. That didn't stop the guilt from consuming his heart, however. He clenched his fists and hit his forehead.

"Ra, how could I have been so blind? And so stupid?" He asked himself in annoyance. "I should have known better than to accuse Anzu like that. Malik planted those words into my mind, and they spread like poison. Why did I not see through his lies before? Am I truly that weak? That pathetic?"

He sighed, letting his hand flop onto the bed. He looked to his right towards the archway that led to his balcony. He could just make out the stars shinning in the midnight sky behind the veil separating the balcony from the rest of his room. Being that it was hardly ever cold in Kemet, his archway contained no doors. And he need not worry about intruders entering this way, for guards had been placed almost everywhere near this balcony and were always guarding it.

He continued to stare out into the night sky, when the thought first occurred to him.

"There is no point in trying to go back to sleep," he thought out loud. "My conscience refuses to let me forget my mistake. I guess there's only one thing I can do…" He threw the sheets off of his body and swung his legs to the edge of his bed, slipping himself off onto the stone floor. "I'm surprised I did not do this earlier."

Dressed only in a tunic that covered his…private areas, he slipped on a pair of his royal slippers and walked towards the door. Opening it as quietly as he could, and closing it softly behind him once he exited his room, he walked the few paces it took to get to Anzu's door. Stopping outside the wooden door, he knocked softly.

"Anzu," he said softly, as close to the door as possible. "It is Yuugi. May I come in?"

Yuugi listened for a moment, but heard no answer. He tried again, but still received no answer of any sort.

'_I should have expected that. I myself am only just starting to recover from the shock. She won't mind if I come in…will she?'_

Even though it was just after 3 in the morning, Yuugi went with what his heart was telling him rather than his brain, pushed open the door and walked into the large room. As the door swung open, he noticed the candles in the room were still alit. Which meant that either Anzu was still awake, or something else…

…Yuugi let out a sharp gasp of surprise when he found it was the latter.

"No…"

Yuugi stared with wide eyes at the scene around him as he slowly stepped forward. Anzu's clothes and belongings lay everywhere around the room, though they had been mainly thrown around on her bed. Some looked as if they had been ripped, whilst others had just been left where they had probably been tipped out from her bag.

To the left he saw the remainders of the food that had been brought to Anzu earlier that evening. To the right, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something very familiar placed on Anzu's pillow. Taking a few weary steps forward, he slowly picked it up with his shaky hands.

"The…B-Black Magician Girl…" Yuugi uttered, staring at the very card he had given Anzu to protect her.

As he held it in his hands, he suddenly realised what Anzu had done.

-I-

Meanwhile, on the other side of Kemet, our favourite heroine was starting to wish she hadn't decided to go after the Empire of Dark Souls in the middle of the night.

Groaning for what felt like the hundredth time in only a few minutes and rubbing her backside-sore from riding bareback on a Red Eyes Black Dragon- she finally gave in to the nagging question in her mind. Tapping Jonouchi on the shoulder to get his attention, she asked:

"Jonouchi, not wanting to sound like a pain or anything, but I've gotta ask. Are we there yet?"

Jonouchi couldn't help but let out a small laugh at Anzu's childish tone of voice. He looked back ahead of him, acknowledging the question for a moment, before answering.

"Actually," he said after a moment. "We are. Look ahead."

Anzu leaned to the side slightly to look over Jonouchi's shoulder. Just above Red Eye's head, she saw a dark clump on the black sand, just on the horizon. All around them storm clouds covered the sky, hiding the light from the moon and the stars. Thunder roared all around and lighting flashed behind the clouds.

"Is that Sharluka?" Anzu asked.

Jonouchi nodded. "Or what is left of it. Before the Empire of Dark Souls came, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Destiny. We used to have some close friends there, until…well, you know…"

Anzu remained silent. It seemed that for over the past two years, everyone in Kemet had had to face some kind of suffering inflicted by the Empire of Dark Souls. No one had managed to escape that pain. There had to be some way to defeat them, right?

"The entire city has been destroyed," Jonouchi continued, "except for the main palace, which the 'Master' uses as a base. Amongst the rubble of the city, his soldiers have made camps from tents. It was easier to do that than rebuild the destroyed city."

"It looks _so_ welcoming," Anzu commented sarcastically, earning her a very strange look from Jonouchi.

"Anyway," Jonouchi said, ignoring Anzu's comment. "We cannot risk being seen by any of the soldiers, so we're going to have to land somewhere else…"

"What do you mean, 'somewhere else'? WHOA!"

Anzu closed her eyes as Red Eyes suddenly inclined forwards, sending them hurtling towards the ground.

"Hold on!" Jonouchi called.

'_A little late for that!'_ Anzu thought. She peeped open one of her eyes and looked in front of her. Upon seeing the blackened ground hurtling closer and closer towards her, she immediately closed her eyes again to save herself from passing out.

After a few more moments of flying towards the ground, without warning at all, Red Eyes Black Dragon suddenly stopped in mid air. With a few heavy flaps of its huge wings, he carefully lowered himself and his passengers onto the black sand.

Once his dragon has finished landing, Jonouchi slipped off the back, landing softly onto the sand. He looked back up to Red Eye's back and saw Anzu was still sitting on the dragon's back. And it didn't look like she was going to come down anytime soon.

"Anzu…" he called to her. "Oh Anzu…Anzu…ANZU!"

Jonouchi's loud yell caused Anzu to jump out of her skin, which in turn caused her to lose her balance on Red Eye's back and fall not-so-gracefully onto the sand, landing on the only part of her body that had a built in cushion.

"Very graceful," Jonouchi laughed, before turning to face his dragon. In a flash of light and with a final loud roar, Red Eyes Black Dragon disappeared from Jonouchi's side and back into his card in Jonouchi's Duel Monster pouch.

'_Thank you Red Eyes,'_ Jonouchi thanked his monster silently. He turned to Anzu, placing his hands on his hips when he saw she was still sitting on the sand recovering from her latest injury.

"You better not be planning on sitting there all night," he said. He turned around and began to walk away.

Hearing Jonouchi's footsteps fading away, Anzu looked up and saw him walking towards the remains of Sharluka.

"Hey! Where are you going!" Anzu called after him.

"Where do you think? To the heart of the Empire of Dark Souls." And with that, he continued to walk away.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me." Standing up and dusting herself off, Anzu jogged to catch up with Jonouchi.

Staying silent, the pair walked cautiously towards the remains of what was once one of the most beautiful cities in Kemet, always on their guard. Looking all around them as best they could, they kept their eyes out for any soldiers dressed in black robes. Fortunately for them, they saw none.

After what seemed like an eternity to Anzu, Jonouchi spotted a small oasis just outside the city walls. Double-checking and triple checking that the coast was clear, they made their way to the oasis to rest. It was about this time that Yuugi was just waking up back in Illuminarta.

Anzu collapsed underneath one of the palm trees, thankful for the small rest. She took her plastic bottle from her bag and drank the remaining water she had left. Once she had quenched her thirst, she took her trainers/sneakers off and emptied them of all the sand she had collected on her little hike through the desert.

"Remind me never to do that again," she said to no one in particular.

"Shh!" Jonouchi hushed.

Hearing a slight urgency in Jonouchi's 'hush', Anzu quickly replaced her shoes and stood up, looking around the palm tree she now stood behind.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"There are no tents, or camps," Jonouchi said, surprised. "All the soldiers have…vanished."

Anzu looked at the rubble before her and saw that Jonouchi was right. There were no tents belonging to the soldiers of the Empire of Dark Souls. It was as if they had disappeared into thin air.

"I do not understand," Jonouchi mumbled. "Where have all the soldiers gone?"

"Maybe they've already headed to the battlefield for the Grand Battle," Anzu suggested. "Honda left tonight, didn't he? To secure the high ground? Well, maybe they left to secure the high ground too."

"Maybe, but not all of them left. Take a look."

Anzu looked down at the only building still standing in the ruined city: the main palace, which stood at the front of the city (for unknown reasons). Walking towards the palace entrance were two guards, completely dressed in black. As Anzu looked closer, she soon realised that they were holding-or rather dragging- a person into the palace with them. Anzu guessed they were some sort of prisoner judging by the way they kept on trying to escape.

From her position in the oasis, Anzu could just see that the prisoner was a female. She had long, wild blonder hair that flowed to her curvy hips. She was dressed in lilac robes that had obviously out grown her, but had been sewn together and reused over the years. Unfortunately, the guards and the prisoner quickly disappeared inside the palace; meaning Anzu never got to see the prisoner's face.

"Who was that?" Anzu asked out loud. "Do you have any idea who…that…was…"

Anzu drifted off when she saw the look on Jonouchi's face. His expression was a mixed of confusion, and pain, like he was suffering somehow. His fists were clenched, and his breathing was heavy as if he was trying to restrain himself. Anzu had seen this look of Jonouchi's a few times before. The first being back at the oasis were Yuugi's parents had been buried. The second was when the Empire of Dark Souls attacked Illuminarta. Both times soldiers from the Empire had been present, and Jonouchi had uttered the same name…

'_I take it he knows who that prisoner was then.'_

And as if right on cue, he said it. "Mai…"

Anzu suddenly realised just what Jonouchi was planning.

"Oh no you don't!" she said forcefully, seeing Jonouchi move forwards slightly. "Don't even think about it Jonouchi!"

"…Mai…"

"Remember what Atemu and Yuugi said to you! You have to control your emotions. You can't go rushing after them like this. Jonouchi, are you even listening to me!"

"MAI!" Jonouchi screamed, before running towards the palace.

"I guess not," Anzu said to herself. "I should've known he would do something like this. I'd better go after him. He's bound to get into trouble…again."

Anzu dashed out of her hiding place and after Jonouchi. Seeing him enter the palace, Anzu quickened her pace and ran after him. Running up the few steps leading to the palace entranceway, she ran through the open archway and found herself in a dark corridor. A flash of lighting flickered outside.

Standing alone in the dark corridor, Anzu felt a familiar fear consume her body. A fear she hadn't felt since she was a small child, just after her mother had died. With only one way to go, she walked forward towards a large, stone door. Pushing hard on the stone, she opened the door a small crack and slipped in, before it closed heavily behind her.

Looking around at her new surroundings, a sudden feeling of déja-vu consumed her heart. She had been here before. Not in reality, but in her dreams. She looked around at the all too familiar surroundings. The walls and floor of the large hall were black and dark. A dark stone throne had been placed in the middle of the floor. A storm erupted outside in the dark sky, and she could make out two small figures on the floor in front of her. But unlike in her dreams, the figures weren't Yuugi and the 'Master'. Instead, Jonouchi was kneeling on the floor, the prisoner from before in his arms. The two soldiers from before had disappeared.

Anzu quickly walked over to Jonouchi, feeling more uncomfortable with each passing second. As she got closer, she saw the prisoner's face. She had slightly tanned skin, just like everyone else in Kemet. She looked slightly older than Jonouchi, but she could see from the look in her violet eyes that she held a deep love for Jonouchi. Even though they had never been introduced, she knew immediately that this was Mai; the girl who had been missing for two years, and the girl Jonouchi never gave up looking for.

As she got closer to the pair-whom were holding onto each other like there was no tomorrow-their voices grew louder.

"Mai," Anzu heard Jonouchi say emotionally. "I knew you were alive. I just knew it!"

"Jonouchi, you're really here!" Mai replied, as emotional as Jonouchi. "I do not believe it!"

"I never gave up looking for you Mai. Never!"

"Jonouchi, listen to me," Mai's tone of voice suddenly became more urgent. "You have to get out of here while you still can."

"What? But why-"

"There is no time to explain. Please, just go!"

"Jonouchi?" Anzu asked, kneeling by Jonouchi's side.

Jonouchi was a little surprised to see Anzu kneeling next to him, but he soon relaxed. Mai, on the other hand, stared at Anzu warily and held onto Jonouchi. Jonouchi sensed her fear and tried to calm her down.

"Mai, it is all right," he soothed. "She will not hurt us. She is on our side. This is Anzu, a friend who has travelled from another world into our own. "

"You…You are Anzu?" Mai asked suspiciously, still holding tightly onto Jonouchi.

"Yeah, that's me," Anzu smiled friendly. "And like Jonouchi said, you can trust me. I'm here to help you."

"Y-You're Anzu," Mai continued in a scared voice. "Y-You're the one _he_ is after. You're the one…"

"Mai, are you all right? Is something wrong?" Jonouchi asked desperately.

Mai suddenly sat up and looked at both of them, fear clearly visible in her eyes.

"You have to go…both of you…NOW!"

"What?" Anzu asked. Mai's fear was beginning to make her feel even more uncomfortable. She felt herself beginning to panic. "But why?"

"There is no time to explain. You have to leave before _he_ gets here! You have to leave! Please!"

"But why?" Jonouchi asked again, holding onto Mai's shoulders. "Who's coming?"

"I would think that would be obvious by now," a low, gravely voice suddenly pierced the air.

A chill ran down Anzu's spine. She recognised that voice all too well. And judging by Jonouchi's and Mai's fearful reaction, they did too. Her blood running cold, Anzu looked up at the stone throne at the back of the room.

Standing in front of the black throne stood a man dressed in deep red robes only worn by a powerful Pharaoh. As a flash of lightning briefly lit up the room, Anzu caught a quick glimpse of the man's long, white hair, two spikes that resembled devil's horn sticking up at the front. His cold, dark eyes looked down amusingly at his guests, a smug smile on his lips. A large, gruesome scar could be seen under his right eye. In his hand, he held onto some sort of small item that emitted an eerie blood-red glow.

"Y-Y-You're _him_," Anzu stuttered fearfully, slowly standing up with shaky legs. "Y-You're the 'Master'. The one that came to me in my dreams…"

"He did what!" Jonouchi cried upon hearing Anzu's words.

The 'Master' laughed, amused.

"Yes, I am the Master of the Empire of Dark Souls," he sneered. "And it's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Mazaki Anzu. The stranger from a place called Domino in another world. The one that possesses powers far greater than that of the Millennium Items. The young girl that tragically lost her mother in a car accident ten years ago…"

Anzu let out a sharp gasp. "H-How did you know about that?" she asked, her voice shaking due to her fear. "N-Not even Yuugi knows that."

"Oh, I know everything there is to know about you, young Anzu," The 'Master' replied, stepping away from his throne into the little light there was in the room. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Bakura, Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls."

-I-

SLAM

Yuugi didn't care if the whole palace heard him slamming his door. Only one thing mattered to him at that moment: finding Anzu.

Still holding the Black Magician Girl card in his hand, he threw it onto his bed before dashing behind his changing screen.

'_I cannot believe this!' _he thought as he changed out of his night tunic into his day robes, complete with gold bands. '_I did not think she would do something as…drastic as this. If anything happens to her, I have only myself to blame. This is all my fault!'_

As soon as he was dressed he dashed over to his bed, picking up the Black Magician Girl card. Picking up his Duel Monsters pouch, he placed Black Magician Girl at the top of his deck, before attaching the pouch around his waist. He would need his monsters to help him battle against the 'Master'.

Checking his pouch was securely fastened, he fell to his knees and pulled something out from underneath his bed. Standing up and dusting his knees off, he pulled his sword out of the sheath he had just picked up. He checked his sword for any damage. The metal shone perfectly in the candlelight, showing the sword's flawlessly smooth surface. Satisfied, Yuugi replaced the sword in its scabbard and secured it around his waist, next to his deck.

'_Hold on Anzu. I'm coming to help you.'_

Making sure he had everything he needed, Yuugi hastened to his door. He pulled it open with great force, sending it flying into the wall. Another loud 'SLAM' echoed down the hall as Yuugi stepped out his doorway-

"And where do you think _you_ are going?" Atemu asked, standing in Yuugi's doorway. His arms where folded across his chest.

Yuugi jumped back in surprised shock. He wasn't expected his brother to be blocking his path.

"A-Atemu" he said, shocked. "Why are you…what are…How did you know I was awake?"

"I heard you slamming your door," stated Atemu. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with one hand. "I am sure the whole palace could have heard you."

"O-Oh…"Yuugi said, slightly embarrassed. He swallowed his embarrassment, remembering why he was up and dressed, and began to step around his twin. "Well I apologise for that. But I do not have time to stand here talking. If you don't mind I'll-"

Just as Yuugi was about to make his way down the corridor, Atemu grabbed his wrists to stop him.

"You did not answer my question, _brother_," Atemu said, emphasising the last word. "Where do you think you are going at this hour? And why are you dressed like you are going into battle?"

"That is none of your concern," Yuugi answered quickly trying to escape his brother's grasp.

But Atemu's grip only tightened. "I think you will find it _is_ of my concern. You are my brother after all."

"Let me go!" Yuugi ordered.

"I will only release you once you have told me what you are up to. Now answer me!"

Yuugi continued to try and free himself from his brother's grip, but soon found his brother was far too strong (and stubborn). Sighing heavily in defeat and refusing to look at him, he answered Atemu's question.

"I went into Anzu's room a few moments ago to apologise to her," he said slowly. "But when I entered, I found her gone. She left the Black Magician Girl card on her pillow."

"Gone?" Atemu asked, finally releasing his grip he had on his brother. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," Yuugi said a little louder than before, turning to face his brother. "Anzu is gone. Disappeared! Vanished! She has gone after the Empire of Dark Souls to fight them!"

"But how do you know this?"

"Because of the Black Magician Girl!" Yuugi practically shouted, annoyed at his brother's stupidity. "I gave her that card so Black Magician Girl could protect her for me when I was not there. The fact that she has left it behind means she wants to try and defeat the Empire all alone. But she is not powerful enough! Not even if she is the Angel of Light we have been searching for. None of us are on our own." Yuugi turned around and began to make his way down the corridor. "So that is why I must go and help her."

"Yuugi! Wait!" Atemu cried, grabbing Yuugi's wrist again.

"Let me go!" Yuugi protested.

"I will not let you do this," Atemu said forcibly. "You are being blinded by your emotions. Affection blinds reason-"

"And love conquers all!" Yuugi retaliated. "Love always finds a way, Atemu. And I'm going to prove it…"

"No! Yuugi, please. Just think about this-"

"My Pharaoh! My Prince!" A feminine voice called from the darkness of the corridor. Atemu released his grip on Yuugi as they both looked up to see Priest Isis running towards them. Her face was that of concern and worry. "I bring terrible news!"

"Oh great. Now what?" Yuugi muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"Isis? What is it?" Atemu asked.

Isis stopped in front of the two royal twins and bowed, before beginning her report.

"My Pharaoh, it is terrible. A few hours ago I was awoken by a vision from my Millennium Necklace. It showed me a scene from the old palace at Sharluka. I saw Anzu and Jonouchi battling against the Leader if the Empire of Dark Souls. Mai was with them-"

"Mai?" Atemu interrupted. "You mean she's alive?"

"I think so, my Pharaoh. But that isn't all. I saw someone else with them. Someone who has turned against us and joined the Empire of Dark Souls. It was…Oh my Pharaoh! This is terrible! The one who has turned against us and declared his loyalty to the Empire is my own brother."

"Malik!" Yuugi cried out. "_He_ is the spy we have suspected?"

"I'm afraid so."

"I knew it…"

"But how can you be sure your vision is correct?" Atemu asked. "You said yourself you have not received any visions recently. How do you know this was not a dream?"

"I too thought it was a dream at first," Isis answered. "But to make sure, I went and searched the palace for Jonouchi, but I could not find him anywhere. Fearing the worse, I then went to my brother's chambers and found he was not there." She pulled something from behind her back and handed it to Atemu.

"What is this?" he asked, examining the parchment Isis handed to him.

"It is a note from my brother explaining that he truly has left us. He has publicly announced his loyalty to Bakura."

"I told you Malik couldn't be trusted," Yuugi gloated to his brother.

"I take it that you are both out here because Anzu is missing?" Isis asked, though she knew what the answer would be.

"Yes, Anzu is gone," Yuugi replied solemnly. "I went into her room to apologise for my earlier actions to find her missing. She has gone after the Empire, just as I suspect Jonouchi has too based on your vision. We must help them!"

"Yuugi, you are not going alone," Atemu said sternly, seeing Yuugi starting to make a move down the corridor.

"Atemu, no matter what you say, you cannot stop me. I am going to Sharluka, to the heart of the Empire of Dark Souls, to help my friends." '_And to apologise to Anzu, and to tell her how I truly feel.'_

"Yuugi," Atemu said, stepping forward and placing a hand in his brother's shoulder. "You have the heart of a true champion, and a soul that is courageous and true (1). But no one can face a battle such as this on their own." He let go and began to walk back to his room.

Yuugi looked up at his brother, confused.

"What are you doing?"

"Changing," Atemu answered. "I'm coming with you, Yuugi."

Yuugi beamed at his brother. "Really?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes. It is about time I stop hiding and face my enemies. Isis," he addressed the Priest. "Follow these instructions: whilst I am away, I leave Priest Mahado in charge. Give him these orders: each Priest is to help protect the people of the Kingdom of Light with their Millennium Items. Soldiers are to be sent out to help evacuate smaller villages and lead the civilians to the larger cities where there are underground shelters. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Isis bowed. "I will inform the Priests immediately. And I will inform the servants to prepare both your horses. I wish you both the best of luck."

And so, within an hour of being woken from his sleep by haunting flashbacks of his mistake, Yuugi found himself riding his white stallion, his brother Atemu by his side on his own horse, exciting Illuminarta and heading towards Sharluka. Towards the heart of the Empire of Dark Souls.

'_Anzu…Jonouchi…'_ Yuugi thought as he urged his horse to go faster. '_Just hold on . We are on our way.'_

-I-

"Bakura?" Anzu asked in disbelief. She stared up at the man in front of her. At a first glance, one would have thought that the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls looked like an ordinary 16 year old boy. But Anzu knew better than that. Yuugi had told her once before that the Leader possessed some kind of 'secret weapon' that allowed him to use powerful dark magic and gave him the gift of eternal youth. The 'Master' may look young, but he was in fact almost a millennia old. She looked at Bakura's clenched fist and knew immediately that that was where his 'secret weapon' was. But what was it?

"You're the Leader of the Empire of Dark Souls?"

"My, aren't you quick to catch on?" mocked Bakura. He stepped forward a few feet to study Anzu more closely.

"W-What are you doing?" Anzu asked hesitantly.

"Why, I am merely studying you my dear," Bakura answered. Anzu felt more uncomfortable as he continued to stare. "You look so radiant in those…revealing clothes. I've travelled to countless worlds these past centuries and I have never seen a sight quite like yours. I was told you were ugly and grotesque. But I should have known better than to trust Malik's words-"

"Malik?" Anzu suddenly asked. "What's he got to do with this?"

"Didn't you know?" Bakura laughed evilly. He walked back to his throne and sat back down. "Malik has been a very loyal servant of mine for what' going two years now."

"Malik works for you?" Anzu screamed. "He's the spy who's been working for you?"

"Of course he has! He is my most loyal servant. He has told me everything there is to know about the former three kingdoms of Hope, Destiny and Light. His information is always accurate…apart from the things he has said about you. Now lets see, what did he say exactly? Ah yes, I remember. I was told that you were as ugly as a witch and as powerful as a parasite. But I can see now that he was wrong. I will enjoy using you to fulfil my plan. Taking advantage of both your powers…and your body." Bakura laughed humorously.

It was then that Anzu's fuse finally broke.

"Kutabacchimae (2)!" she shouted. "I'll kill you!"

"Tut tut tut," Bakura mocked, wagging his finger in the air. "Don't use that language with me, abazure (3)."

Anzu stumbled back from shock.

"Y-You…You speak Japanese?" she gasped.

"Of course I do!" Bakura said proudly. "I have travelled to many different worlds, searching for the powers I can use to my advantage, and I have learnt many different languages during my travels. As it happens, Japanese is one of my favourite. It's hard to think it's only been ten years since I was last there…"

Anzu felt the dread in her stomach increase.

"Yes, I remember Japan well. I recall being in a large town know as…_Domino_." Anzu's heartbeat quickened at Bakura continued. "Yes, I remember that town well. And I remember the very night when I first saw _you_, Anzu. Your family were driving home from a party, if I remember correctly. Your mother gave you some Duel Monster cards. The very cards that are in your pouch right now." He let out a small laugh. "I must say, it was rather fun to destroy your life like that…"

Anzu covered her mouth with her hands. Her blood ran cold. "No. No, you couldn't have. It's not possible!"

"Oh but it is," Bakura sneered, enjoying every minute of Anzu's suffering. "Did you honestly think it was an accident? Ha! Far from it! Using the powers of my secret weapon, I was able to manipulate your father's driving, crashing your car into that oncoming lorry. It was rather amusing watching your mother die so _painfully_…"

Anzu felt the bile build up in her throat. "No! No! Stop!"

"You want to know why I did it?" Bakura continued. He stood up from his throne. "It was because of you, Anzu. As soon as I saw you, I could sense the strong powers inside of you. And I wanted them. I wanted them so badly. But your mother was in the way!"

"No! Stop!"

"Throughout the centuries a power has been passed down through your family, only being inherited by the female members. A power that was once used to destroy an evil that threatened Kemet 3000 years ago. But the keepers of this power never knew anything about it, except for your mother. She somehow found out about your family's gift, and about the prophecy. I don't know how, but she did. You remember the prophecy, right?"

Anzu remembered all right. She was the one that had translated it for Yuugi and Atemu when she had first arrived at Illuminarta.

'_When the sacred items fail their task,_

_And the land is covered in evil's mask,_

_Pureness and truth must then fight,_

_Our fate hangs with the great Angel of Light.'_

"She somehow figured that out!" Bakura continued to rant. "And because she knew you held the power, she did everything she could to protect you from finding out the truth." Bakura laughed again. "But it wasn't enough. She wasn't expecting _me_. And so, to get my hands on your power, I first had to kill your mother and wait for you power to grow. When the time was finally ready, I created a portal so you could enter this world."

'_The tapestry at the shrine!'_ a voice said in Anzu's head. Everything was beginning to come together.

"You found the portal sooner than I expected, but no matter. I'll just use what you have to finally take over this world!"

"Think again!" Jonouchi suddenly cried, standing up. He drew his sword and stood in his fighting stance. "If you want Anzu, you'll have to go through me first!"

Bakura growled. "_You're_ still here? I thought you would have gone by now. But no matter." He held up his clenched hand as his 'secret weapon' began to glow an even brighter light. "That will soon be taken care of."

Mai looked up from her position on the ground. As soon as she saw the 'secret weapon's' eerie glow, she knew what to expect. Being a prisoner of the Empire of two years had allowed her to experience nearly all of the weapon's powers. And Bakura was about to use one of it's most deadliest on Jonouchi.

Suddenly, a red beam of light shot out from Bakura's hand, heading straight for Jonouchi. Before she knew what she was doing, Mai jumped up.

"Jonouchi! Look out! AHH!"

Jonouchi-frozen from fear at the red beam shooting towards him-felt someone push him to the ground. His sword fell out of his hand and skidded on the floor, landing with a loud clatter. Upon hitting his head on the stone floor, Jonouchi let out a loud groan. But seeing the sudden flash of blood red light and hearing an all too familiar scream soon brought him back to his senses. Picking himself up off the floor, he looked back behind him just in time to see an unconscious Mai falling to the floor.

"NOOO!" he yelled. He picked himself up off the floor and ran to his lover's side. "MAI! MAI!"

He came to her still body and knelt down beside her.

"Mai!" he cried. "Mai! Wake up! Please wake- AHHHHH!"

Upon touching Mai's skin, Jonouchi yelled out in pain, before falling beside Mai's body, unconscious.

"JONOUCHI!" Anzu cried in horror. She stared at the pair lying on the floor, unable to believe what she had just witnessed. She turned to face Bakura, hot tears of anger flowing down her cheeks. "What the hell did you do!"

"Simple," Bakura replied calmly with a shrug. "I used my weapon to send that ass into the Shadow Realm. Unfortunately that blonde whore got in the way, so she was sent to the Shadow Realm instead. But if you ever touch someone who has been sent to the Shadow Realm, you will be transported there yourself instantly. Jonouchi should have known that, if he had a brain." Bakura laughed.

"The Shadow Realm?" Anzu whispered.

"Yes," Bakura answered eagerly. "It's a place where your worst nightmares become a reality, killing you slowly and painfully over time!"

"No…" Anzu gasped. "No…Jonouchi…Mai…No…"

"Don't worry. It will take several hours before they are completely dead!"

Anzu felt her rage boil again. "Hiretsukan (4)!"

"Now now. There's no need for language like that." Bakura walked down the stone steps leading from his throne towards Anzu.

Fearful of what he planned to do next, Anzu stepped backwards trying to get away from him. However, for every step she took back, he took two steps towards her, making sure she could not escape. She was soon trapped against the hall wall.

Bakura stopped right in front of her, pining her to the wall. He grabbed her face with his hand and forced her to look into his eyes.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes. I was about to take your powers from you. The powers your mother tried to desperately to keep hidden."

Anzu tried to struggle free from Bakura's grip, but he was far too strong for her.

"I'll give you two choices," Bakura continued. "Either you give me your powers willingly and I will allow you to walk away freely. However if you don't, then I'll just have to do things the hard way."

"I'll never give you my powers!" Anzu spat.

Bakura threw his head back and let out a loud, amused laugh.

"Well then," he sneered after his little outburst. "I guess I'll just have to do things the hard way." He held up his other hand-the one holding his secret weapon- to Anzu's face. The weapon began to emit another eerie red glow. "Do say 'hello' to Jonouchi and Mai for me. I'm sure you'll see them…in the Shadow Realm!"

Bakura's secret weapon shot out another red beam, this time landing right on target. When the beam collided with Anzu's face, an excruciating pain erupted throughout her body. She screamed out in pain, feeling like her body was on fire. Painful memories flashed through her mind, as the view of Bakura and the hall behind him faded from view. She felt her mind being painfully separated from her body, splitting her soul into two…

…Then suddenly, everything went black.

-I-

To be continued…

-I-

_(1) You have the heart of a true champion, and a soul that is courageous and true: _I know. I used a line from the dub. But I just love it when Atemu says this line, I had to use it!

_(2) Kutabacchimae: _Japanese for "drop dead, you bastard; fuck you!". Great word, isn't it?

_(3) abazure: _Japanese for "bitch"

_(4) Hiretsukan: _Japanese for 'bastard'

Wow, what a chapter. I have to say I'm surprised I wrote this. My hands were writing something completely different to what my brain was telling them to do! But I think the end result is way better.

Anyway, please R&R. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can write it!


	14. Deeper Into The Darkness

So, was the last chapter exciting enough for you? Well, if it wasn't, this one will be (I hope)!

I'm having so much fun writing this at the moment, I don't want it to end! There are only a few chapters left!

I've already had an idea for a sequel, but it's a pretty lame idea if you ask me, so I'm not sure if it will do well. Sequels hardly exceed the original.

Anyway, I would like to take a moment to thank:

**KaibaYamiLover**

**Dark Shining Light**

**kobear91**

**Greater Lights**

**yangs**

**Crystallynne**

**ImCrazyAndProudOfIt**

**priestess-one-shot**

**Applegrape8910**

**trekker4life**

for reviewing the last chapter. Thanks you guys! You're the best! Presents for all! hands out kuriboh plushies

Now, time to get on with the next chapter!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback/Shadow Realm_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! I'm a Peachshipping fan for life!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 14: Deeper Into The Darkness

-I-

"How much further do we have to go?" Yuugi asked his brother desperately. His patience was beginning to run out. He turned his head to his right to see his twin riding his white stallion.

"I am not sure," Atemu answered. "We crossed over onto the black sand quite some time ago, so we should be close by now."

A flash of lightning could just be seen behind the dark, grey clouds in the sky. A loud clap of thunder roared above, shaking the ground bellow.

Yuugi's own white horse gave a whine in fear. Yuugi bent forward and patted his horse on its neck and soothed calm words into his ear to calm him. The horse soon calmed down and regained it's fast pace.

Yuugi sat back up again, inclining his body forward slightly for a streamline shape, allowing his horse to go faster.

"So how much longer until we arrive at Sharluka?" Yuugi asked his brother again.

"I estimate an hour or two," Atemu answered.

"Tch…" For Yuugi, this was not the right answer. They had already travelled for several hours since leaving the palace. Although one couldn't tell due to the dark clouds covering it, the sun had risen into the sky some time ago and it was now late morning, according to their body clocks.

"And how long have we been travelling, Atemu?"

"I think about seven hours, though it is hard to tell with the clouds blocking the sun like this."

A thought suddenly occurred to Yuugi. "Just how did Anzu and Jonouchi travel to Sharluka? Their horses were still in the stables when we left."

"I believe Jonouchi must have summoned one of his monsters to carry them there," Atemu answered. "And I bet you anything it was his Red Eyes Black Dragon."

"Which means they must have arrived either before or just after we left!" Yuugi said, panic and worry clearly in his voice.

"I am afraid so, Yuugi," Atemu said solemnly. He lowered his head. "Who knows what Bakura has done to them."

"Well, we cannot give up!" Yuugi urged his brother. "Anzu and Jonouchi are still alive. I know they are."

"I hope you are right, Yuugi…"

"I know I am right! And as soon as we arrive in Sharluka, we will help them to finally defeat Bakura once and for all and defeat this evil mask that has covered Kemet!"

Atemu nodded in agreement with his 'other half' and looked up ahead of them. His heart beat began to quicken we he spotted a small dark dot on the horizon of the black sand. That small black dot was the remains of the city of Sharluka. They were close now. This was it. The beginning of the end.

He pointed the city out to his brother, and they both urged their horses to pick up speed. Their horses-although tired from the long journey already- obeyed their masters' commands and managed to gallop faster than they had their entire lives. Sharluka slowly began to come closer and closer into view.

'_Hold on, Anzu,'_ Yuugi prayed silently. '_We are almost there. Wait for me, please…'_

-I-

'…Wait for me, please…'

_Anzu's eyelids fluttered. Was that…a voice? It sounded like…Yuugi. Whoever-or whatever- it was, the words echoed in her head as she slowly opened her eyes. She soon regretted the action when she saw the new sights before her._

"_W-Where am I?" she asked urgently into the empty void. Still lying on the floor, she slowly moved her groggy head to the right and left. All around her a dark purple fog swirled around her slowly, partially hiding the scene behind it. A scene that Anzu had hoped she would never see again._

_She slowly sat up and rubbed her aching head. Her whole body ached, sore from experiencing the excruciating pain suffered from when one's mind is sent to the Shadow Realm. She felt sick and weak. And as every second past she felt even weaker, for the longer someone stays in the Shadow Realm, the weaker they become until they die. It is a slow and painful death. One that a mad man like Bakura enjoys watching, like it's some kind of sick sport._

_Forcing her body to obey her commands, Anzu managed to stand up onto her shaky legs. This allowed her a better view of the scene amongst the deep purple fog._

_By the looks of it, she was in some sort of small, dark room. The floor was covered in cold tiles, based on what she felt when she was lying on it. On three of the walls, various cupboards and work surfaces could be seen, all cluttered and filthy dirty. On the fourth wall was a closed, broken wooden door with a rusty door handle. Shelves had been placed each side of the door and each contained broken china and beer bottles. The wallpaper on the walls was peeling away. Some large bits lay scattered on the floor amongst broken glass._

_Anzu looked back behind her at the wall opposite the door. There was a small, dirty window, with a kitchen sink underneath it. An old washing machine had been placed next to the sink. To Anzu's right, in one of the corners was an old cooker. Opposite it, on Anzu's left, was a large, metal fridge. In the middle of the room was a small dinning table. The chairs lay scattered on the floor around it, some of them broken like they had been thrown there._

_Anzu immediately recognised the room. She had grown up in it back in Domino._

"_This…This is my kitchen," she gasped. "This is my kitchen from back home in Domino. But…how is that possible? I thought I was in the Shadow Realm? What the hell is going on!"_

_As Anzu warily stepped forward, the fog seeming to get thicker with each step she took, Anzu noticed something strange about the kitchen. Everything seemed…bigger than she remembered. For one thing, her head barely reached the top of the dinning table. Before she had run away, the top of the table came to her hip. Just what was going on here?_

_Anzu circled the room, the fear and dread inside her heart growing with each passing second. And as her fear increased, the fog grew thicker and her energy grew weaker. Still confused, she passed her metal refrigerator. She would have continued on, if something hadn't caught her eye._

_She looked back at the metal fridge and stared hard at it. There, staring back at her, was a six-year-old version of herself, dressed in the very same pink dress she used to where all the time when she was young. She even had the crystal necklace around her neck which her mother had given her._

_As she continued to stare at the image, she thought of it only as a flashback of some sort, shown to her like this before of the effects of being in the Shadow Realm. But when she brought her hand up to touch the 'image' in the metal before her, she received quite a shock…_

"_Holy shit! That's me!" she screamed, jumping back. Her reflection copied her every moment. Scared, she looked down at her hands and her body and saw that it was true. Somehow, her sixteen-year-old mind had become trapped in her six-year-old body. _

"_What the hell is going on?" she screamed. She looked herself over again frantically, pinching herself to see if she was dreaming. She soon found she was not. _

'T-This can't be happening!' _she screamed in her mind. _'This can't be real! It's impossible!'

"_Help!" She screamed into the fog. "Yuugi! Atemu! Jonouchi! Anyone! Please help me!"_

_Her cries echoed into the darkness. Scared, Anzu collapsed to her knees. She covered her face with her hands and began to sob._

"_Yuugi…Please…Help me…Please…I need y-"_

_STOMP_

_Anzu let out a sharp gasp and lifted her head out of her hands. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. She wasn't alone. Someone else was here. And they were standing right behind her._

_Her small body shaking, she slowly turned her head around to face the new presence with her. Her heart skipped a beat in fear when she saw who the dark figure was…_

"…_Dad?"_

-I-

"Ah, my dear servant Malik," Bakura said smugly as said person bowed before him. "What have you to report?"

Malik rose from his bow and looked up at his master. He was dressed in simple Egyptian armour and had a simple sword attached around the waist. "The troops are now at the battlefield, master," he reported. "Unfortunately, we were not able to secure the high ground as Pharaoh Atemu's troops arrived before our own."

"No matter," Bakura sighed. "We have a higher chance of success than them anyway. After all, I have stolen what little power they had from the Millennium Items. They cannot use their magic to summon monsters like we can. Their defeat will come quickly. When will the battle begin?"

"Soon, master. The men are preparing as we speak." Malik gave another bow.

"Good. And what of our friends, the Pharaoh and his twin?"

"I have heard they left Illuminarta and the Kingdom of Light sometime ago once they discovered two of their own were missing. They should be arriving at the palace momentarily."

"Interesting," Bakura commented, tapping his finger on his 'secret weapon' in thought. "We must send out a 'welcome party' to greet-"

"There will be no need for that!" A voice bellowed into the hall.

Malik quickly turned around and gasped. He took a few wary steps back towards his master in fear. Bakura merely smiled at his two new guests that had entered the hall.

"Well well well," he said calmly and slowly. "Look who we have here. Pharaoh Atemu and his brother, Prince Yuugi. What an honour this is!"

"Stop your mocking!" Atemu ordered. His grip on his sword in his hand tightened slightly in anger.

"Now now," Bakura mocked, wagging his finger. "Temper temper…"

"We are warning you Bakura!" Yuugi warned, stepping up next to his brother. He too held his sword in his hand and stood in his fighting stance. "Do not toy with us or you will regret it!"

"Will I now?" Bakura laughed, amused. "I'd like to see that!"

"Tell us what you are planning!" Atemu shouted. "Tell us right now or you will live to regret it!"

"Oh! I'm so scared!" Bakura said sarcastically, before laughing manically. "Fine. I will tell you. But only because you won't live to see it happen…

"For as long as I can remember all I've ever wanted was power. Ever since the defeat of my great ancestor 3,000 years ago-right here in Kemet-all I've ever wanted was power so I could have my revenge. So for almost a millennia, I've travelled through the universe, through many different worlds in search of a power strong enough to defeat you all and control what should be mine-"

"You have lived for centuries?" Yuugi interrupted.

"Yes," Bakura smiled. He tilted his head to the side. "But I thought you already knew that?"

"I did," Yuugi said, trying to sound strong and brave. "But I thought it was merely a legend. I was only…surprised. That is all."

"Hmph!" Bakura huffed. "Well, as I was saying, my ancestor was defeated 3,000 years ago by the first Angel of Light. I knew there existed a power that could defeat the Angel of Light, so I went looking for it. And it wasn't long before I found this-"

He held up his 'secret weapon' to Yuugi and Atemu. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, lighting the weapon momentarily. The twins stared at the weapon, and were not impressed. In his hand, Bakura held a small red jewel, about the same size as a large diamond, that emitted an eerie blood-red glow. It was barley larger than Bakura's hand. It's edges were smooth, and it had been formed into the shape of a seven pointed star.

"What is _that_?" Atemu asked.

"This," Bakura answered, handling the weapon in his hand. "This is my secret weapon. This is the jewel known as the Kulna jewel."

"The Kulna jewel?" Yuugi repeated.

"That's right, you pathetic runt." Yuugi growled at the comment. "This jewel allows me to travel through the worlds and grants me the power of immortality. As long as I have it, I can steal any power from any world, and live forever."

Atemu growled. "You are a mad man…"

"Oh, am I?" Bakura sneered. "You call a man mad for wanting revenge and taking over the entire universe, to claim what is rightfully his?"

"Yes!" Atemu and Yuugi agreed together.

Bakura laughed. "Very well. Maybe I am a mad man. Now, let me continue with my wonderful story. After I found the Kulna jewel and discovered it's powers, I was able to finally begin my main search for a power that would be able to defeat you once and for all. That was when I first began to put my plan into action: The Silent Enchantment of Unholiness…"

"The silent what?" Yuugi asked, confused.

"The Silent Enchantment of Unholiness," Bakura repeated with a smirk. "It's quite simple actually. First, I find a power that I will be able to use to defeat you. Then, I use that power to defeat you once and for all and take over the other worlds in this universe!"

"If you were using another power to defeat us," Atemu asked. "Then why are you stealing the power from our Millennium Items?"

"Because the power I found was not yet strong enough," Bakura answered. "And to truly defeat you I needed to steal your powers as well, so that you are weaker. Well, weaker than you were before. Plus, it was rather fun to watch you grow weaker like that. Almost as fun as it was to watch your parents die…"

"You are sick," Yuugi spat.

"…But," Bakura continued thoughtfully, ignoring the Prince's comment. "It wasn't as fun as going to a place called Domino…"

Atemu blinked. "Domino? Why does that sound familiar?"

"Because it is the place Anzu once lived," Yuugi answered, his voice quiet and soft. He dreaded what he would hear next.

"Yes," Bakura continued. "Now that was fun. Destroying a little girl's life is always an amusing pass time…"

Something clicked in Yuugi's mind. Yuugi suddenly knew who Bakura was talking about. He shook his head in disbelief. "You did not…"

"Oh, but I did," Bakura smirked. "I had to manipulate the power she possessed somehow, didn't I?"

"You mean you manipulated Anzu's life just for your own needs?" Yuugi cried.

"Why, yes. I did. And she has grown into quite a beauty…"

"Silence…" Yuugi warned.

"Yes, very beautiful," Bakura continued, teasing Yuugi. "Those curves, that skin…that _body_…" Bakura licked his lips slowly.

"SILENCE!" Yuugi yelled, his emotions begin to spin out of control. "You will not speak about Anzu like that! You hear me? Now tell me what you have done with her!" Yuugi ordered.

"And Jonouchi and Mai!" Atemu added.

Bakura merely chuckled. With one hand he swept it in front of him to indicate the figures lying on the floor before them. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Confused, the two brothers lowered their swords slightly and lowered their defences as they looked around the hall. Yuugi looked to his right, and was the first to spot the first two casualties.

"Oh no…" Atemu gasped when Yuugi pointed it out to him.

Yuugi felt his blood run cold. Lying on the floor, Jonouchi lay unconscious on his front, his eyes not moving, his breathing slow and heavy. Lying next to him, was what looked like an unconscious Mai. She too was lying on her stomach, her right hand just lingering near Jonouchi's.

"So it is true," Yuugi said, unable to believe what he could see. "Mai was…no. She _is_ alive." He searched with his eyes the area around Jonouchi and Mai, expecting to see another. The dread in his heart increased when he saw only two unconscious bodies. "But, where is Anzu? I cannot see her! Where is she!" '_Could she still be alive somewhere? She must be! I can still feel her in my heart-'_

"Yuugi," Atemu said solemnly.

Yuugi looked up at his brother and saw he was staring at the other side of the hall. His heart full of dread, Yuugi followed his gaze until he saw it. Another figure lying on the floor to his left right by the wall of the hall. The figure was female, with short brunette brown hair. She was dressed in clothes not of this world, but of another. Her body was still.

"No…" Yuugi shook his head in disbelief. "No no no!"

"Yuugi," Atemu said gently. He placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "We will save her. I promise."

A tear rolled down Yuugi's cheek. He was too late. He hadn't been able to get here in time. Bakura had already gotten to Anzu before he could come and protect her. Now he would never get the chance to apologise, or tell her how he truly feels. He would never hold her in his arms, never touch her soft skin, never kiss her irresistible lips…

Yuugi's sadness quickly changed into blind rage. Clenching his fists, he looked up at Bakura.

"What did you do to her!" He bellowed. "Answer me!"

Bakura merely shrugged. "I would think that would be obvious to you, runt. After all, they are not dead…yet. You and your brother of all people must recognise when someone has been sent to the Shadow Realm…"

Yuugi's breath caught in his throat. "The Shadow Realm?"

"Yes," Bakura sneered. He enjoyed seeing people in pain like this. "Jonouchi, Mai and Anzu will slowly die as they live out their worst nightmares and fears!"

-I-

_Anzu felt her body shake in fear as her father slowly stepped towards her, trapping her against one of the many cupboards in the kitchen. He staggered rather than walked, for his body and mind had been effected once again by a high amount of alcohol. In his hand, he held a glass bottle that had once been filled with cold beer. It was now empty. Upon seeing his six-year-old daughter before him, his rage intensified and he threw the glass bottle to the floor. It shatter into thousands of pieces when it collided with the hard floor. A few stray pieces cut Anzu's skin._

_Anzu screamed when the bottle smashed on the floor and tried to protect her body with her arms. This caused the stray pieces of glass to cut her unprotected arms rather than the rest of her body. After a few tense moments, where the only sound was the sound of her father's heavy, angry breathing, Anzu slowly lowered her arms and look at her father. Fear consumed her heart at the sight of the man that had caused her ten years of pain._

"_It's your fault" her father spat in their native tongue, taking another step towards Anzu._

"_No! Daddy please don't!" Anzu cried. Her voice was not that of sixteen years, but one of six years. It seemed her voice had changed as well as her body. And yet her mind still remained the same._

"_It's your fault she's dead…" her father took another step towards Anzu. He was now towering over her._

"_No! Please daddy! Listen to me!" Anzu pleaded. "It's not my fault mummy died! It's Bakura's. _He _killed her-"_

"_Shut up!" her father yelled, slapping her across the face._

_Anzu cried out in pain as skin collided with skin. She covered her hand over her stinging cheek. It had started again. The beating. She was being punished for her mother's death._

"_Don't speak lies to your father! It's your fault mummy died that night-"_

"_No it's not! I promise you daddy it's-"_

"_-You're the reason she's not here. You're the reason she's dead-"_

"_-No! Stop it! It's not-"_

"_-You're the reason I'm all alone!" In a fit of rage, Anzu's father grabbed the dinning table next to him and tossed it over. _

_Anzu screamed and covered her head with her hands. The table crashed against the floor loudly. Anzu's father's heavy breath increased as his rage grew._

"_You stupid little girl," he spat angrily. "You stupid, pathetic little girl. You're no daughter of mine…"_

_Anzu just sat in a ball, covering herself as best she could to protect her from what was to come. Tears of fear rolled down her sore cheeks. Blood from her cuts slowly dripped down her pale arms. _

"_You've been a very bad little girl," her father continued. He wiped something away from his mouth. "You need to be punished…You need to be punished for what you have done to me!"_

_Anzu's father instantly kicked Anzu's small body. Anzu screamed out as the horrible pain shot up her body._

"_Does that hurt?" her father mocked evilly. "Good. But it's not over yet." He then punched her in the arm painfully. "You need to learn your lesson!"_

_Anzu's father kicked his daughter again, sending her flying to the floor. After a moment, Anzu tried to stand up. But as she did, her father stepped on her back, pinning her to the floor. She felt out a few sobs._

"_Yuugi…" she cried. "Yuugi…please…help me…"_

"_No one can help you now, brat!" her father spat. "Now, time for your real punishment!"_

_Anzu screamed out as her father continued to beat her small, fragile body. Tears flowed down her face. No one could save her now._

-I-

"Your friends will feel every blow and kick they experience," Bakura said evilly, "until they eventually die. It is a very, _very_ slow and painful death. And one that I will enjoy watching!" He laughed loudly.

"No…" Yuugi didn't want to believe Bakura's words. Anzu couldn't die. Not now. Now when he had so much to say to her. And Jonouchi and Mai had only just been reunited. They couldn't be torn away from each other again.

Yuugi looked back at Anzu, hoping Bakura was wrong. But he wasn't. For when Yuugi looked at Anzu's still body, bruises and cuts began to appear on her unprotected body, damaging her perfect skin. The emotions that consumed Yuugi now were indescribable.

"How can you send people to the Shadow Realm?" Atemu bellowed. "Only those with Millennium Items can do that in the Kingdom of Light! The Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny could never do what we could. So how is it possible for you to use what is ours?"

Bakura chuckled. "Haven't you been paying attention these past few years? Let me repeat it slowly for you. I, Bakura, Master of the Empire of Dark Souls, have used this, the Kulna jewel, to steal your powers away from your Millennium Items. And once I've absorbed a power, I can use it to my advantage. So now that I have almost all the power of the Millennium Items in the palm of my hand, I can summon monsters and send people to the Shadow Realm just like you can. Or rather, like you used to."

"You monster…" Atemu growled.

Yuugi, upon hearing Bakura's words, tore his gaze away from Anzu and stared up at the Master of darkness. His eyes bore nothing but hate. His grip on his sword tightened dramatically as he stepped forward.

"Bring them back," he said angrily. "Bring them back right now."

"Or what?" Bakura mocked. "You'll beat me with that little stick? I'd like to see you try."

"Bring them back," Yuugi persisted.

"You're weak, Yuugi. Weak and pathetic. You could never save your friends. You could never save Anzu and tell her how you truly feel."

Yuugi froze. "H-How did you-"

"Know?" Bakura laughed. "With my Kulna jewel I can see into people's minds. I can see all they fear and all they wish. How do you think I've been manipulating Anzu's dreams all this time?"

"Enough!" Yuugi cried. He brought his sword up in front of him and stood in his fighting stance. "Bring them back or I swear you will live to regret it!"

"You will not speak to the Master like that!" Malik cried, drawing his own sword. He stepped into Yuugi's path.

"Coward," Yuugi spat. "I did not think you would still be here. I thought you would have tried to escape by now."

"I will not abandon my Master," Malik said, determined, stepping forward every so slightly. He too stood in his fighting stance.

"Why did you betray us?" Yuugi demanded.

"Because the Master showed me the truth. He showed me true power, and promised me that if I fought by his side, I would have the power I so desired."

"You mean he tricked you. Poisoned your mind with lies to turn you against us. Your people. Your friends. Even your own family-"

"Enough!" Malik interrupted. "I will hear no more of this. If you want to get to the Master, you will have to go through me first."

"So be it," Yuugi said quietly. With a mighty roar, Yuugi charged forward and pounced at Malik, his sword above his head. He brought it down to strike his chest-

But Malik expected the attack and brought his sword up in front of him to block the blow. The two swords clashed loudly as they collided. The force of the blow pushed the two young men back and both stumbled momentarily.

Yuugi was the first to recovering his footing, thanks to his training from when he was young. Taking advantage of the moment, he charged forward again and tried to strike Malik for a second time.

But Malik recovered just in time and once again used his sword to block the on-coming attack. The swords clashed again and small sparks flew into the air where the metals collided. Malik used all this strength to try and push Yuugi away, but Yuugi fought back. He too pushed his body and sword towards Malik to break his defence. The two were in a stalemate.

"Yuugi!" Atemu cried running towards his brother, his sword in his hand.

"No!" Yuugi cried. "Stay back Atemu!" Yuugi stepped back involuntarily as Malik took advantage of the distraction, but Yuugi pushed back and fought on.

Atemu reluctantly stopped under his brother's orders. "But Yuugi-"

"No!" Yuugi interrupted, still focussing on Malik. "I can handle this myself, Atemu. Trust me!"

Atemu nodded. "All right, brother…" All he could do was watch.

Yuugi and Malik continued to struggle against each other, each as strong as the other. Yuugi quickly looked out of the corners of his eyes at Anzu's body to his left, and Jonouchi's and Mai's just behind Malik. Seeing the now bruising bodies Yuugi got an idea, and a new strength that he knew would just be enough to defeat the traitor before him.

Gathering all his strength together, Yuugi pushed harder than he had done before. Malik did not expect this sudden burst of strength and involuntarily began to slowly stepped backwards. He tried to push Yuugi back with his own strength but found that Yuugi was surprisingly stronger than he was.

Bakura saw what was happening below and grew angry. "What are you doing, Malik? You are stronger than he is! You should be able to easily defeat this runt!"

"I am trying to, Master," Malik struggled. "But he is surprisingly strong!"

Slowly, Yuugi pushed Malik back and every step they took brought him closer to his target. Once Malik was in place, he prepared for his next attack.

"This is for Anzu!" he cried. With another sudden burst of strength, Yuugi gave Malik one final thrust and pushed him backwards.

From the shock of the force, Malik lost his footing and wobbled on his feet momentarily. He took a step back to try and regain his footing-

"GAHHH!" he screamed as his foot touched Jonouchi's hand. His sword dropped to the floor as his grip failed him. An excruciating pain shot up through his body, as his mind was sent to the Shadow Realm. His body collapsed to the floor just above Jonouchi's.

"No!" Bakura cried seeing his servant on the floor.

Yuugi lowered his sword and looked down at Malik's body. "That was for betraying us," he spat.

Atemu felt his jaw drop. Never, in all his sixteen years, had he seen Yuugi act with so much determination and strength. It was a side of Yuugi he had never seen before. He had to admit, it was somewhat frightening. Seeing that his brother was all right, Atemu ran to his side.

"Yuugi!" he exclaimed. "That was incredible! I never knew you had such strength."

Yuugi blushed. "Never did I!" He let out a small laugh, to which Atemu replied with a laugh of his own.

"You think this is funny, Pharaoh?" Bakura yelled, his anger now at boiling point.

Yuugi and Atemu ceased their laughter and stood in their fighting stance with their swords in their hands, ready to fight.

Bakura continued to yell. "You just defeated my most loyal servant and you think it's funny? You will pay for what you have done!"

The Kulna jewel glowed in Bakura's hand as a sword suddenly appeared in his other. A small indentation was visible on the swords handle. Bakura placed the jewel inside it to keep it safe and began to make his way down the stairs towards the twins.

"Now what do we do?" Atemu whispered to his brother.

Yuugi looked frantically around the room in the hope of finding something that would help them defeat Bakura. He soon found his gaze fall on Anzu again. Her body had received more bruises and small cuts could been seen bleeding on her exposed skin. Upon seeing Anzu's still face Yuugi got another idea.

"I have an idea," Yuugi whispered back to his brother. "How long do you think you can battle Bakura alone?"

"With my sword, maybe an hour. But if he used any heka I will not last very long. Why? What are you planning?"

Yuugi replaced his sword in it's sheath. "An hour is plenty of time."

Without warning, Yuugi dashed away from Atemu and headed towards the left side of the hall, away from Bakura. Bakura stopped upon seeing the Prince's actions and merely watched. Atemu on the other hand tried to stop his brother.

"Yuugi!" he cried. "What the hell are you doing!"

"Trust me!" Yuugi called over his shoulder as his brother. He stopped by Anzu's body and knelt down beside her.

"Anzu," he whispered, seeing her pained face. Slowly he brought his hand up to touch her face…

Atemu saw what his brother was doing and knew what he was going to do next. He rushed forward without thinking to try and stop him.

"Yuugi! Wait! You must not do this! Please!"

But Yuugi didn't listen. He moved hand forward to touch Anzu's skin…

"Yuugi!"

But instead of feeling the soft warmth of the girl's skin, Yuugi felt a horrific pain erupted through his entire body. He yelled out in pain as he felt his mind and body become separate.

"NOOO!" Atemu screamed seeing his brother in pain. He froze in the middle of the hall and could only watch as his brother's screaming stopped. Yuugi's body fell to the floor with a loud 'thud', landing next to Anzu's body. His right hand came down and landed on Anzu's left.

Atemu stood frozen in shock. His pupils shrank in his eyes and his blood ran cold. His grip on his sword loosened until it fell onto the floor with a loud clatter.

"No," Atemu gasped, falling to his knees. "No…It cannot be…Yuugi…My brother…My other half…NO!"

He punched the hard stone floor with both his fists and leaned forward, lowering his head as the tears began to stream out of his violet eyes. His body shook as he cried, his heart broke in his chest.

"Yuugi," he sobbed. "Why? Why did you do it? WHY!"

"You want to know why?" Bakura's voice pierced the air.

Atemu shot his head up and looked angrily at the mad man.

"It's because he's stupid," Bakura continued. "He thinks he can go to the Shadow Realm and save Anzu before she dies. Hmph! What a stupid little boy he is. His death will come quickly."

"You're wrong," Atemu growled, wiping away his tears. He picked up his sword and stood up on shaky legs. "You're wrong!"

Bakura watched as Atemu struggled to his feet. It was clear that his emotions were controlling his actions.

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Atemu yelled when he finally stood up. The words echoed around the hall. "Yuugi will not die. He will save Anzu and the others. And then we will defeat you together. Side by side!"

"Do you really believe that?" Bakura asked, holding his sword up in front of him. "Do you honestly believe any of you stand a chance against me? You will all die, Pharaoh. One by one you will all die. And I will finally be able to rule this world and the universe. I'll finally have my revenge!"

"We will see about that," Atemu spat, holding his sword up into his fighting stance. '_Yuugi, please come back soon. I cannot fight him without you. I need you. Otherwise, we are all dead.'_

-I-

"Looks like a storm is coming," Honda commented to himself, looking up at the dark sky. Thunder and lightning roared and flashed behind the thick black clouds.

Honda looked down at the scene below. 100,000 men all lay before him, each busying themselves with their own preparations. Some were sharpening their swords, others were preparing their armour. And there were the occasional few that were practising their heka ready to be used in the Great Battle that lay ahead.

Honda looked up across the plain, being that he was on a high sand dune and could easily see the opposition. He had managed to secure the high ground for his troops just in time, but he knew it may not be enough. He sighed sadly when he saw the enemy.

They too were preparing for battle. And even though Honda could not see them all, he knew they greatly out numbered his own troops. Not to mention they could use more heka than his troops put together. They had been stealing their powers after all.

The Empire of Dark Souls' camp lay on the edge of the blackened sand, Honda's own troops choosing to stay on what was left of the pure sand that used to cover Kemet before it was contaminated with evil.

As Honda stared out into the soon-to-be battlefield, his thoughts came to those he cared about the most; his friends. He prayed he would see them again, especially Shizuka. Although he knew she was very much in love with Priest Seto, he had always had a special place for her in his heart, and he always will.

"Sir?" a voice interrupted his thoughts. Honda turned around and saw one of his shoulders kneeling before him. "I have received news from Illuminarta."

"News?" Honda questioned. "What news? Has something happened?"

"I am afraid it is to out disadvantage, sir," the soldier reported. "I have just received word that Prince Yuugi will not be joining us in battle, for he and the Pharaoh have travelled to Sharluka to fight Bakura face to face."

"What!" Honda exclaimed. "But why are they doing that? What has caused them to make such a decision?"

"It is Jonouchi and Anzu, sir. They left in the middle of the night to try and face Bakura themselves."

"That idiot," Honda growled, clenching his fists. "I knew he would do something like this!"

"I am afraid that is not all, sir," the soldier continued. "I have also received word that Malik has betrayed the Kingdom of Light and Kemet, and announced his alliance with the Empire of Dark Souls."

"He did what!" Honda cried, outraged. He paced up and down in anger. '_I cannot believe this! First Jonouchi goes after the Empire with Anzu, then the Pharaoh and the Prince go after them, and now this? What next?'_

"What do you suggest we do, sir?" the solider asked. "Should we continue with our original orders?"

Honda stopped pacing and thought for a moment. After a brief pause, he turned to face the soldier.

"Yes, we will continue as planned," he said finally. "Prepare the troops! We go into battle soon, and we will be victorious!"

"Yes sir!" The solider bowed, before standing up and running down towards the camp.

Honda watched him go, before turning back to look at the sky. A flash of lightning erupted before him.

"I hope we know what we are doing…"

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

Well, that's chapter 14 over with. What do you think? Personally, I didn't think it was as good as the last chapter. But that's up to you to decide. Please R&R! The next chapter will be up asap!

Oh! And please check out my forum: Peachshipping Love. Thanks guys!


	15. Fighting For Love

Wow, chapter 15 already? Where does the time go?

I want to say another HUGE thank you to:

**kobear91**

**KaibaYamiLover**

**ImCrazyAndProudOfIt**

**Greater Lights**

**Crystallynne**

**Dark Shining Light**

**yangs**

**priestess-one-shot**

**Applegrape8910**

Thank you so much guys! Thanks to you I now have triple figure reviews! I'm so happy! And it's all because of you!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback/Shadow Realm_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! (Who wouldn't? )

-I-

Another World

Chapter 15: Fighting For Love

-I-

_Letting his body recover from the shock of being transported into the world of shadows, Yuugi slowly opened his eyes. He groaned in pain as he did so, for his whole body ached. Even though he felt weak and sick, he slowly lifted himself up and forced himself onto his feet. After a few seconds passed, where in which he rubbed his extremely sore head, he looked around as his surroundings._

"_So, this is the Shadow Realm," he said to no one in particular. He looked around and saw nothing but a swirling, deep purple-verging into black-fog. The silence was suffocating, and as every second passed he could feel his life energy being drained from his body. "It is hard to believe all this is an Illusion of some sort and that none of it is real. No wonder Atemu only uses this sort of punishment as a last resort."_

_The Shadow Realm was used only as a last resort in the Kingdom of Light, for it was so terrifying even the Keepers of the Millennium Items feared it. When no other punishment would work, a prisoner would be sent here, but only for a few hours so as to punish them. But they would never kill the sinner. The three united kingdoms of Kemet were deeply against the death penalty (unlike Bakura). Usually, after a few hours in the Shadow Realm, a prisoner to realise the evils of their actions and changed their ways._

_When Bakura began stealing the powers of the Millennium Items, he gained the ability to send anyone and anything to the land of shadows. Every time he would send someone there, and their life was drained from their body, that life energy would be transported to Bakura's Kulna Jewel, increasing the already dangerous powers he possessed. _

"…_And I have left Atemu to fight Bakura all alone. How stupid was I?" He hit his forehead with his fist, then sighed. "I hope he is all rig-"_

"…_Yuugi…" _

_Yuugi's head shot up. That voice. It sounded like…Atemu's. _

"_Atemu?" Yuugi called warily into the darkness. "Is that you?"_

_No answer._

_Yuugi began to panic. If he could hear Atemu's voice, then that meant he had been sent to the Shadow Realm too. And if that was the case, then Bakura truly was unstoppable. _

"_Atemu?" Yuugi called again, his voice echoing through the void. _

_This time, he got an answer._

"…_Yuugi…" Atemu's distance voice called, before, "GAH!"_

"_Atemu!" Yuugi screamed upon hearing his brother in pain. He darted forward, heading in the direction of where he thought he heard Atemu's voice._

"_Atemu! Atemu, where are you? Answer me!"_

"_Yuugi…"_

_Yuugi froze. The voice had come from behind him. Slowly and cautiously, he looked behind him. Out of the shadows, Atemu suddenly appeared. Yuugi's pupils shrank in his eyes as he stared at his brother. Atemu's robes had been ripped, his face showed nothing but pain and sadness. Yuugi stepped forward towards his twin, but as he did so, Atemu suddenly collapsed to the floor with a loud 'thud'. His body was still and pale. A pool of blood began to appear around the Pharaoh._

"_Atemu!" Yuugi cried out in horror. He started for his brother to help him, but stopped when he heard another loud 'thud' behind him._

_Terrified, Yuugi turned around, his breathing loud and heavy. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest as he turned to see the sight behind him. He screamed when he saw Anzu lying on the floor, dead. Her clothes were covered in her blood and a gruesome, bloody injury was clearly visible on the top of her head. Needless to say, Yuugi did not want to know what the pink-y mush by her head was._

_Yuugi felt sick at the sight of the blood. But the nightmare wasn't over. All around him his friends slowly began to appear out of the darkness; Jonouchi, Honda, Shizuka, everyone. And every single one of them feel to the floor, dead. Each had a hideous injury on their body that must had caused their death. Each had a painful looked on their face, their blood shot eyes wide open for him to stare into._

_Yuugi retched at the sight and smell of the dead bodies. His body shook violently, and his breathing was heavy and desperate._

"_This is not real," he told himself. He held his stomach in fear of throwing up again. "This is not real…It is all an illusion…" He looked at Anzu's body again, and vomited again. _

"_None of this is real," he kept telling himself with a shaky voice. But as if to prove him wrong, the shadows grew darker, and voices began to pierce the nightmare world._

"_You're too late," came the first voice. Yuugi felt his blood run cold when realised it was Anzu's. He looked at Anzu's body, fighting the urge to vomit yet again, and saw that her lips weren't moving. It was as if the voice was coming from her mind. "You're too late, Yuugi…"_

"_You were too slow." That was Atemu's, talking in the same slow, disappointed tone as Anzu. "You couldn't save us…"_

"_You are not strong enough," came Jonouchi's voice. "You are not strong enough to defeat Bakura and save us."_

"_No!" Yuugi cried, closing his eyes. "You are wrong! You are all wrong!"_

"_You will never save us," came Shizuka's voice. "You are not powerful enough…"_

"_No! Stop it!"_

"_You are weak," Atemu's voice spat. "Weak and pathetic. You are no brother of mine-"_

"_No!" Yuugi hollered. "You are wrong! This is not real! This is _not _real!"_

"_You are weak Yuugi," the voices began to repeat over and over again. "You are weak-"_

"_No!" Yuugi covered his ears to blocked out the sounds. He felt the tears roll down his cheeks. "This is not real-"_

"_-Pathetic-"_

"_-It is just an illusion-"_

"_-Powerless-"_

"_-An illusion caused by the shadows-"_

"_-You killed them-"_

"_-It is only an illusion-"_

"_-You let them die-"_

"_-I did not! This is all wrong!-"_

"_-It's your fault they're dead-"_

"_NO!" Yuugi screamed loudly at the top of his lungs. "THIS IS NOT REAL!"_

_A ray of bright, white light suddenly shot out of Yuugi's Duel Monster pouch and pierced the darkness. The light spread out around him and momentarily covered the darkness, blinding him. He covered his eyes, aware of the shadows around him changing rapidly. The illusion was beginning to lift. A few tense moments passed before the light quickly faded away. Yuugi lowered his arms only to find himself face to face with a familiar creature._

"_Black Magician Girl!" Yuugi gasped in shock. "H-How did you get here?"_

"_You summoned me, Master," Black Magician Girl answered in her sweet voice._

"_Me? But how? I cannot summon monsters with my pendent anymore, can I?" He pulled his eye-shaped pendant out from around his neck. _

_Black Magician Girl shock her head. "I was not summoned by the powers of the Millennium Items. I was summoned by a different power."_

"_Oh?" Yuugi placed the pendant back under his tunic. "Then how were you summoned?"_

"_Love," Black Magician Girl answered with a smile. "I was summoned by the power of love. The love you hold for Atemu, you friends, and for Anzu."_

"_Anzu!" Remembering what had happened, Yuugi looked at the area around him desperately. The bodies of his friends had disappeared. Not a trace of them was left. It was as if it had never happened. _

'But I should have known that. It was an illusion after all. None of it was real. Which means that Atemu must still be battling Bakura, and Anzu must still be in here somewhere.'

_He looked out into the darkness. He could nothing apart from the vast emptiness of the Shadow Realm. All that was there was the mysterious and eerie purple fog, which seemed to have increased in thickness. _

_Yuugi suddenly felt faint. He placed his hand on his forehead and steadied himself to stop him from falling over. _

"_Master!" Black Magician Girl squealed worriedly, seeing Yuugi stumble. "Are you all right?"_

"_Yes…I-I'm fine…" Yuugi answered uncertainly. His life was being sucked out of him quicker than he had first thought it would. He wouldn't be able to last much longer. He needed to find Anzu, soon. "Black Magician Girl, will you help me find Anzu? I cannot do it alone."_

"_Of course I will, Master," Black Magician Girl answered determinedly with a nod of the head. "I will help guide you to my Mistress by sensing for her powers."_

_Yuugi blinked. "You can do that?"_

"_Of course! Watch!" Black Magician Girl closed her eyes and hovered still in the air. She switched off her mind and listened with her heart. She listened hard and carefully, trying to pick up anything that felt like her Mistress's presence._

_She could sense Yuugi's powers, but he was right in front of her which didn't help matters. Ignoring her Master's powers, she focussed hard on any other sources of power. She suddenly felt something pure enter her heart. Something that seemed to be reaching out to her. Her eyes bolted open. That was definitely Anzu. No one else was a pure as she._

"_I have found her!" Black Magician Girl cheered, throwing her staff up in the air playfully and catching it._

"_You have?" Yuugi asked happily. "Where is she?"_

"_Not too far from Master," Black Magician Girl answered excitedly. She turned 180 degrees. "She is this way. Quick! Quick! Follow me!"_

_Black Magician Girl flew forward into the fog. Yuugi did not hesitate to follow her. Running as fast as he could to keep up with the magician, he ran straight into the fog after her. He could feel himself becoming weaker with every step he took. He hoped they would find Anzu soon._

-I-

CLASH

The two swords belonging to Bakura and Atemu clashed loudly again, echoing throughout the grand hall. The swords remained in contact and formed an 'X' type shape. Bakura and Atemu groaned loudly as each fought against the other's mighty strength, forcing them to break the contact so they could take the advantage and strike.

"Well," Bakura huffed as he tried to force Atemu backwards by pushing his sword forward. A smile appeared on his face as if he was enjoying the battle. "It seems we are at a stalemate. I thought with the power of the Kulna jewel on my side it would be easy to defeat you." He took an involuntary step back as Atemu forced him backwards. Groaning, he quickly recovered and forced Atemu back. "I must say, I am surprised by your strength."

"Looks can be deceiving," Atemu grunted. He continued to struggle under Bakura's power. "When I am fighting for my brother and my friends, I am at my strongest." He forced Bakura to take another step backwards. He groaned loudly as he did so. "As long as they are alive, I will continue to fight!"

Bakura let out a small laugh. "But how can you be sure they are still alive?"

"Silence!" Atemu warned.

"Your brother has been in the Shadow Realm for quite some time now. And the rest of your so-called friends have been in there for even longer. How can you be sure they are all still alive?"

"Because I know!" Atemu shouted. But in truth, Bakura's words were effecting him more than he was letting on. What if Yuugi was dead? What would he do then?

He found his eyes flickering to the left towards Yuugi's still body. He just wanted to make sure Yuugi was breathing, even if it was slow and heavy-

"Fool!" Bakura spat. Whilst Atemu was distracted, Bakura thrust his sword forward. "You fell for it!"

The sudden movement took Atemu by surprise and he found himself stumbling backwards, breaking the contact between his swords and Bakura's. He struggled to regain his footing.

Making use of the opportune moment, Bakura brought his sword to Atemu's body and slashed him on the side.

"GAH!" Atemu screamed in pain. His grip failed on his sword and he brought his hand up to over his wound. His sword landed with a loud clatter on the stone floor and skidded on the floor to Bakura's feet. Atemu fell to his knees in pain. He removed his hand and looked at the blood that now covered it. The wound was deep and bleeding badly.

Bakura laughed manically. "You fool! I can't believe you fell for that!" He laughed again.

Atemu growled at Bakura, unable to say much due to the pain he now felt.

"What's this? Have I finally silenced the Pharaoh? Well, now this is an achievement! I must savour this moment." He laughed again.

"Bakura…" Atemu growled. He felt his body shake as the blood slowly began to seep through his fingers. Small drops landed on the dark floor. Drip. Drip.

"Get up!" Bakura ordered. He kicked Atemu's sword back to him. "This fight is far from over! This battle won't end until you're finally dead. And I'll make sure to kill you as slowly and painfully as possible!" He laughed manically again.

Atemu reluctantly removed his hand away from his wound and picked up his sword, staining the handle with his blood. He forced himself to stand up, even though he blood began to drip down his hip and leg.

"I will not die," Atemu said determinedly through gritted teeth. "You hear me? I will not die. Not whilst Yuugi is counting on me." He stood up straight and stood in his fighting stance, trying his best to fight the pain. "I will win."

"We shall see about that!" Bakura yelled before charging for the Pharaoh. He brought his sword down to strike Atemu again-

CLASH

Atemu blocked the attack with his own sword and forced Bakura back. He winced. The pain from his wound was increasing. He could feel his warm blood down his leg. He wouldn't be able to last much longer. His eyes flickered to Yuugi's body again.

'_Yuugi…Please hurry. I need you, brother. We all do.'_

-I-

"_What is this strange building?" Yuugi asked Black Magician Girl._

_The pair eyed the unusual structure curiously. From what Yuugi could tell, the building seemed to have two floors based on the small holes that looked like some sort of windows. There were two 'holes' near the top and two near the bottom, a small door being placed between the latter. _

_Yuugi carefully walked up to the closest window and put his hand up against it. He soon found that his hand could not pass through the strange material placed inside the holes. What was this material anyway? It looked like frozen pure water. There was nothing like this back in Kemet. _

_Yuugi looked up at the rest of the structure. It had been covered in some sort of white mixture that felt rough under his hands. In front of the house was a small garden. Yuugi knew one of the plants in the garden. After all, you could find grass in all the oasis' back in Kemet. But he did not recognise the other plants and trees. Though he did like the look of the small tree covered with small pink flowers._

"_I think this is Mistress's house," Black Magician Girl answered thoughtfully. She picked up one of the flowers from the garden. It was a beautiful red one, but was covered in thorns. And upon picking the flower up Black Magician Girl dropped it again when a thorn pierced her skin. "This does not look like a place in Kemet," she said whilst sucking her sore thumb._

"_True. I have never seen plants such as these," Yuugi commented. "Or materials like the ones that have been used here. And what is that over there?"_

_Yuugi pointed to a large, shiny red box. It had four circular 'things' placed on the bottom; two at the front and two at the back. These 'things' kept the large box off the ground. At the front, back and along the side of the box, the same frozen-water-type material had been used so one could see inside the box. Yuugi and Black Magician Girl could see four chairs inside; two at the front and two at the back (1)._

"_What a strange box," Black Magician Girl said, hovering over to it. "I wonder what it does."_

_She tapped it with her staff and expected something to happen. But nothing did. She tapped it again, only a little harder. But again nothing happened. Growing angry, Black Magician Girl whacked the box hard with her staff, but only succeeded in causing a very, _very _large dent._

"_Opps," she said, blushing slightly._

"_Maybe we should look for Anzu inside," Yuugi said, ignoring Black Magician Girl's antics. He walked up the small path that led to the door and pushed it open. It creaked loudly._

_Black Magician Girl flew to her Master and looked over his shoulder inside the building._

"_It looks scary in there, Master. I do not like it."_

_Yuugi looked down the dark corridor in front of him and swallowed, hard._

"_I-It does not look that bad…does it?" he asked, his voice sounding unusually high, even for him._

"_Yes!" Black Magician Girl cried, ducking behind Yuugi. She began to shiver in fear._

"_Come now," Yuugi said. "We have to go in. you know as well as I do that we have to go in…_there" _Black Magician Girl slowly lifter her head back up to Yuugi's shoulder. "We need to find-"_

"_AHHH!" A high pitched voice screamed._

"_Ahhh!" Black Magician Girl screamed, ducking back behind Yuugi._

"_That sounded like Anzu!" Yuugi cried. He bolted forward into the dark corridor. _

"_Master!" Black Magician Girl called into the corridor. She hovered for a moment, unsure of what to do. But upon looking back out into the thick fog behind her, she made up her mind and flew after Yuugi._

_Yuugi ran down the corridor, ignoring all the strange contraptions around him. He stopped when he came to an open door in front of him. He didn't know why, but something was telling him Anzu was here. He looked through the open door…_

"_**You stupid girl**!" A low voice yelled. As Yuugi looked into the room, he saw a large man standing a short distance in front of him. "**You stupid bitch**!"_

_Yuugi was confused. He did not understand the language this man was speaking. It was not spoken in Kemet. And yet, something for telling him he had heard this language before._

_He looked around the room with his eyes, eying the strange objects that filled it. He could make out cupboards and shelves on the walls, and work surfaces too. But there were other strange things made from shiny materials that he could not name. But he could identify the turned table and broken chairs on the floor._

"_What is going on?" he asked himself._

_He looked back at the man and watched him as he continued to shout and yell. He seemed to be yelling at someone, but Yuugi couldn't see who. But when the man shifted his position to the side slightly, he soon saw what he was shouting at. _

_Yuugi let out a cry when he saw the figure. Curled up in a ball in the corner, their arms covering their head, was a six year old version of Anzu. Yuugi immediately recognised her by the crystal necklace that hung around her neck._

"_Mistress!" Yuugi heard Black Magician Girl gasped from his side. It seemed she had just arrived and was as shocked as Yuugi was._

_And they had a right to be. Anzu's body was covered in horrific bruises and cuts that bleed freely. Most of the cuts were on her arms where she had tried to protect the rest of her body. Her right leg looked painfully broken. Anzu's whole body was shaking and tears of fear were rolling down her sore cheeks._

"_But who could have done this?" Yuugi asked, horrified. _

_His question was soon answered._

"_**It's your fault**!" The man yelled in his native tongue. "**It's all your fault**!" He raised his hand and punched Anzu on the arm._

_Yuugi felt his rage boil. He clenched his fists in anger. _'How _dare_ he do that to Anzu! That bastard will pay for what he has done to her!' _He stepped forward, raising his fist-_

"_Please! Stop!" Anzu cried, her voice shaking. _

_Yuugi froze for a moment. He understood that. He understood what Anzu had just said. But, how was that possible? There was so much about the Shadow Realm he didn't understand. He looked up at Black Magician Girl and voiced his question. After all, magical creatures such as herself were far wiser than human beings (though sometimes they did not show it)._

"_Master can understand Mistress because Master knows her so well," Black Magician Girl answered. "Whereas Master does not know who that man it since Master has never met him. So to Master, Mistress's words are in Master's language."_

"_Do you know who that man is?" Yuugi asked, glaring at the largely built man._

"_Yes. It is Mistress's father."_

"_Her father!" Yuugi cried in astonishment. "Her father is beating her like this? But why?"_

"_**Why!**" Anzu's father spat, kicking one of the cupboards. "**Why was I stuck with a daughter like you!**"_

"_Do you know what he is saying?" Yuugi asked desperately._

"_No, but I can change it so Master can." Black Magician Girl held up her staff in front of her. The jewel encrusted on the top let out a small glow. Yuugi felt something in his ears, as if a shock wave had just passed through him. _

"_There," Black Magician Girl said suddenly, satisfied. "Now Master can understand their language."_

"_What was that?" Yuugi asked._

"_A small language spell Black Magician taught me!" Black Magician Girl answered smugly._

_Yuugi eyed her, before turning back to the scene unfolding in front of her._

"_Why did you do it?" Anzu's father shouted. This time, Yuugi could understand what he was saying. "Why did you kill her? How could you kill your own mother!"_

"_I didn't!" Anzu wailed. "I didn't kill mummy! I didn't!"_

"_Don't lie to me!" her father shouted, slapping her across the face. Yuugi felt his rage intensify. "You killed her. On the way home from the party, remember?"_

"_No! It wasn't me! It was Bakura-"_

"You _were the one that distracted me and caused me to crash that car. _You _were the one that took so long to escape from the car before that damn lorry came. If you hadn't had been so bloody slow, you're mother would still be here!"_

"_No! Stop!"_

"_She wouldn't get out until _you _were out first! It's your fault bitch! It's all your fault!"_

"_No!"_

_Yuugi stood in shock. They were talking about her mother's death. The tragic accident that Anzu had never wanted to talk about. Yuugi now understood why it was painful for her to talk about, and why she hated her father so much. For ten years he blamed and punished her for her mother's death. For ten years he beat her to get rid of his own guilt and depression…_

_But Yuugi refused to believe one thing; that is was Anzu's fault her mother had died. He couldn't believe that. Anzu was too pure to cause the death of someone she loved so much. What had she said? Something about Bakura? Did he cause her mother's death? Bakura did mention something before…_

_-Flashback-_

"_You are sick," Yuugi spat._

"…_But," Bakura continued thoughtfully, ignoring the Prince's comment. "It wasn't as fun as going to a place called Domino…"_

_Atemu blinked. "Domino? Why does that sound familiar?"_

"_Because it is the place Anzu once lived," Yuugi answered, his voice quiet and soft. He dreaded what he would hear next._

"_Yes," Bakura continued. "Now that was fun. Destroying a little girl's life is always an amusing pass time…"_

_Something clicked in Yuugi's mind. Yuugi suddenly knew who Bakura was talking about. He shook his head in disbelief. "You did not…"_

"_Oh, but I did," Bakura smirked. "I had to manipulate the power she possessed somehow, didn't I?"_

"_You mean you manipulated Anzu's life just for your own needs?" Yuugi cried._

"_Why, yes. I did…"_

_-End Flashback-_

_So Bakura had been the one to kill Anzu's mother, just so he could somehow get to her powers. He had caused the accident, framing it on Anzu so that her father would blame her._

"_You're the reason I'm all alone!" Anzu's father yelled. He kicked Anzu's broken leg, causing her to scream out in pain. "I'm going to kill you!"_

"_NO!" Yuugi yelled, running forward. His rage was uncontrollable. He had to save Anzu. He had to stop her 'punishment'. He had to stop her so-called father-_

_Yuugi was suddenly forced back. He stumbled but regained his footing quickly. He looked up, but saw nothing that stopped him from going to Anzu. He ran forward again, but was stopped once again. _

"_What is going on?" he asked out loud. _

_He held out his hand in front of him and walked forward. His hand was soon stopped by something that was hard, yet invisible at the same time. _

"_What is this?" he cried. _

"_It is a force field," Black Magician Girl answered sadly, floating to his side. "It is here to stop Master from saving Mistress."_

"_A force field?" Yuugi repeated. "But how can I break through it?"_

"_I do not know," Black Magician Girl shook her head._

"_What?" Yuugi couldn't believe what he just heard. Force fields were usually created by some sort of magic. Something that a creature like Black Magician Girl could easily break. But if even she couldn't break through this one, then how could he break it?_

"_I'll kill you!" Anzu's father bellowed as he punched Anzu again in the stomach._

"_Stop it! Stop it you bastard!" Yuugi yelled, banging on the force field. But the man did not hear him and continued to beat Anzu._

"_AHHH!" Anzu screamed as her father kicked her broken leg again._

"_Anzu!" Yuugi yelled._

"_Mistress cannot hear Master," Black Magician Girl said sadly. "The force field is stopping that."_

"_No…" Yuugi gasped. He punched the force field in frustration. A tear rolled down his cheek._

_Time was running out. He felt extremely weak as his energy was continually being drained. If he didn't hurry, both he and Anzu would soon die. But how was he suppose to save Anzu now? He couldn't break through the force field. And he couldn't yell to her since she could not hear him. Or see him. _

_What was he going to do?_

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

_(1) Yuugi pointed to a large shiny red box. It had four circular 'things' placed on it; two at the front and two at the back. These things kept the large box off the ground. At the front, back and alone the side of the box, the same frozen-water-type material had been used so one could see inside the box. Yuugi and Black Magician Girl could see four chairs inside; two at the front and two at the back: _If you couldn't guess, they're looking at a car. I'm not good at describing them like this :P

And the parts were the text is in bold means that their speaking Japanese. I'm too lazy to find out what those sentences are in Japanese :P

And aren't I evil, leaving you on a cliffy like that?

So, how did you like that? Enough excitement for you? I was going to put more in but I just couldn't fit it in! There's so much to write! This story is getting longer and longer.

Please R&R and let me know what you thought. Next chapter will be up asap.

Oh, and 1 more thing…MY BIRTHDAY SOON!


	16. The Angel Of Light

Chapter 16 is finally here!

You know, you're lucky it's up this early. I wasn't planning on starting this chapter until nearer the Easter holidays. But luckily, my school is closed for a few days since we had a small fire last week (due to a small electrical problem) and they need to rewire the school. So this means I have a few days off to relax, prepare for my birthday at the end of the week and write this chapter!

Thanks to:

**AnimeChix**

**Crystallynne**

**trekker4life**

**kobear91**

**Greater Lights**

**yangs**

**priestess-one-shot**

**cheeky-eyes**

**Dark Shining Light**

Thank you all for reviewing. You really cheered me up! This chapter is dedicated to you all!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback/Shadow Realm_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! They are destined to be together!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 16: The Angel of Light

-I-

"RAAAAAAAAAH!" Honda yelled as he brought his sword down from above his head, slicing another member of the Empire of Dark Soul's head clean off. With a loud gush of blood, the body fell limply to the floor. The head rolled off down the battlefield.

Honda didn't stop there though. Sensing someone coming up behind him, he spun round and sliced them across the chest. The black figure fell onto the sand. The blood from the deadly wound stained the sand.

Honda tried to sense another enemy coming to kill him, but found they were too preoccupied with his soldiers. He took a quick moment to look around.

All around him his soldiers-dressed in white-were fiercely battling against the soldiers from the Empire of Dark Souls-dressed in black. Although most of his soldiers were fighting strong and were managing to hold their own against the Empire, some he could already see had either been badly wounded or killed.

A roar suddenly caught his attention and he looked up at the sky. A large Devil Dragon (1) hovered over his head, blocking what little light there was. Its large eyes were fixed on Honda.

"Oh no…" Honda gasped under his breath, seeing the dragon open it's mouth. He quickly fumbled around with his Duel Monster pouch as he frantically tried to find the card he needed.

As Honda was struggling to find his card, the Devil Dragon fully opened his mouth. A large, fiery ball formed in his jaws, before he sent it flying towards Honda.

Honda glanced up and saw the inferno heading towards him and the men around him. He continued to try and look for the card that could save them. But his hands were shaking so much he found it hard to grip onto the cards.

"Come on…Come on!" He cried as he flicked through the cards.

Honda could now feel the heat from the fire ball on the back of his neck. At first it felt like a warm, tingling sensation. But as the ball came closer the heat increased, until it began to burn his back. If he didn't find that card in the next few seconds, he wouldn't be around for much longer. He had to find it.

The ball was now right above him. The men around looked up at first with amazement at the bright light, but then with fear when they realised what it was. They screamed and covered their bodies with their arms as best they could to try and protect themselves even though they knew it wouldn't work. The fire was about to burn them alive-

"Holy Barrier Mirror Force (2)!" Honda suddenly cried, holding the purple trap card above his head.

There was a tense moment as the invisible barrier formed around them. But Honda summoned it just in time, for when the Devil Dragon's fiery ball reached them, the mirror barrier reflected the attack straight back at the attacker, killing it instantly. The men were safe.

"That was close," Honda sighed, replacing the card in his pouch. He looked around at the soldiers he had just protected. They were already back into battle.

"Die, you bastard!" someone cursed behind him.

Honda turned around just in time to see a member of the Empire charging towards him, his sword above his head. Letting his instincts take over, Honda lunged forward and pushed his sword through the enemies chest. The dark figure stopped momentarily and looked down at the sword sticking out of his chest. He gave a loud gasp, before blood starting trickling out his mouth and his wound. He fell backs with a loud 'thud'.

Honda pulled his sword out of the dead man and quickly wiped it clean on the sand, before turning around and defending himself from the next dark figure that tried to kill him.

'_The Pharaoh and the Prince had better defeat Bakura soon. I do not think I can last much longer…'_

-I-

_Yuugi trembled and whimpered, leaning forward on the invisible barrier. He punched the barrier in frustration (3) as he helplessly watched the six year old version of Anzu being beaten by her father._

"_It's not fair," he sobbed. "It's not fair. How can I protect her now? I promised I would always be there for her, no matter what." He sniffed. "I promised she would never be alone. How can I keep my promise if this bloody barrier is in the way!" He punched the barrier again, before collapsing to his knees, crying. He felt weak. Half of his life energy had already been taken away from him. He didn't want to think about how much energy Anzu had left._

_Black Magician Girl floated to her Master's side and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder._

"_Master will find a way," she said softly. "Master always finds a way. Master must not lose hope. Master can still save Mistress, if Master truly loves Mistress."_

"_I do love her," Yuugi sniffed. "I love her with all my heart. I'm just sorry I did not see it before. Maybe if I had then she would…" He looked up at the small child that was Anzu and watched her trembling. The tears continued to stream down his eyes and his heart broke into a thousand pieces when he saw how much pain she was in._

_Anzu was curled up on the floor, her hands covering her head. Her father had stopped beating her for the moment to take a drink from one of the still full beer bottles on the counter. He staggered as the alcohol came into effect._

"_Stupid…Bitch," he slurred. He took a drunken step forward. "Everything's…" he gave a loud hiccup. "Everything's…your fault…you…stupid…b-i-t-c-h…" He slurred the last word. He kicked Anzu's broken leg again._

_Yuugi winced at the sound of the broken leg somehow breaking again. He turned his head away, refusing to watch anymore. He couldn't take it any more. He couldn't bear being so close and yet so helpless. He hated Bakura for doing this to him, and to Anzu. There must be some way to save Anzu, but what?_

"_You're weak" Anzu's father slurred. He smiled when he saw his daughter crying. "You're…extremely…and utterly…weak…"_

'No she is not,' _Yuugi thought, his voice failing him. _'She is not weak. She is strong. The strongest person I know. She saved my life. How can someone who is 'weak' do a thing like that?'

"_You're stupid too, you know that bitch? You're dumb…"_

'No she is not. She is far from "stupid". She is intelligent, and smart. Without her I would be dead by now.'

"_And you're ugly too," Anzu's father spat. "Ugly and fat…"_

'No she is not! Stop saying these lies! Anzu is the most beautiful person in the world; both this one and her own world. No one can beat her pure beauty. No one…'

'You…' _a soft voice said warily. _'You think…I'm beautiful?'

_Yuugi's head shot up. That was Anzu's voice just now. He had just heard Anzu's voice in his head. But how? Was he going mad?_

_He looked over at the young Anzu and saw she was now sitting up, the tears down her cheek had stopped flowing for the moment. She was looking around curiously, as if trying to find the voice that had said such kind words about her. She was ignoring her father's yells and looking through the shadows and around her murky kitchen for the kind voice._

_Yuugi felt his heart rate increase in excitement. _'You…You can hear me?'

_He watched as Anzu slowly nodded her head. _'Who are you? You sound so familiar to me…'

_Yuugi sat up on his knees, placing both hands on the invisible barrier in front of him. _'Anzu, it is Yuugi. Do you remember me?'

'Yuugi? Prince Yuugi?'

'Yes Anzu! That is me! The one who found you in the desert.'

'Did you take me to Illuminarta?'

'Yes Anzu! I did! Do you remember?'

'I think so…'

"_Master," Black Magician Girl asked curiously, seeing the happy look on Yuugi's face. "What is happening? Have you broken through to Mistress?"_

"_Yes!" Yuugi cheered. "Yes I have! She can hear my thoughts, and I can hear hers!"_

_Black Magician Girl beamed at the news! "That is wonderful Master! Now Mistress can be saved!"_

"_What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Anzu's father suddenly yelled._

_Yuugi looked back at Anzu and saw her staggering to stand up on her broken leg._

'You can do it, Anzu,' _he encouraged. He clenched his fists. _'You can do it. I know you can.'

"_Don't get up!" Anzu's father growled. "Don't you _dare _get up!"_

'Don't listen to him Anzu. He's not real. He is just an illusion.'

_Anzu was finally able to stand up. She held onto one of the counters for support. _'An illusion? But how?'

'Bakura sent you to the Shadow Realm. Your mind was separated from your body. All this around you is an illusion.'

'But, if it's all an illusion, how can I feel pain?'

'This is what the Shadow Realm does to a person. It steals their energy slowly and painfully, until they die. You feel pain because your mind is being tricked. It may hurt now, but when you return to the real world, you will be back to your normal self. Your injuries will be gone.'

'But…how do I escape?'

'Only you know the answer, Anzu. Only you have the power to break Bakura's hold on us. Just believe in yourself and you can do it.'

_Anzu closed her eyes and trembled. Her father's abusive words were being to effect her again. A tear rolled down her sore cheek. _'I'm scared, Yuugi.'

'Don't be. I am here for you, Anzu. And I always will be. I promised I would never leave you, and I always keep my promises.'

_Anzu opened her eyes and frantically looked around the room again. She panicked. _'But I can't see you!'

'I know, but I can see you. Anzu, believe in yourself like I believe in you, and you can break this illusion and return to the real world.'

'But what about you? How will you get back?'

'I'll find a way back. Do not worry about me. Now, focus Anzu. Focus your mind.'

_Anzu nodded her head and closed her eyes, relaxing her body. _'This is not real. This is not real…' _She kept telling herself._

'That's it! Now say it out loud.' _Yuugi's voice encouraged._

"_This is not real…" the small Anzu began to say in her high voice. "This is not real…"_

"_What the fuck are you talking about?" Anzu's father bellowed._

"_This is not real," Anzu continued to say, refusing to listen to her father._

"_S-Stop talking like that," Anzu's father began to panic. "Stop it. I said stop it! Listen to your father!"_

_Anzu's father lifted up his hand and brought if down on Anzu's cheek. But she did not flinch. She didn't even feel the pain._

"_This is not real," she continued. Her crystal necklace around her neck slowly began to glow. "You are not real…"_

'That's it, Anzu!' _Yuugi encouraged, now standing up. _'Keep going! You are almost there.'

"_This is not real," Anzu said determinedly, her necklace glowing brighter and brighter by the second. "None of this is real. This is all just an illusion…"_

"_S-Stop talking nonsense!" Anzu's father's voice trembled with panic. "You don't know what you're saying-"_

"_What you say is not real," Anzu continued. "This is all in the past. '_I can't change my past but I can change my future. And to do that, I need to get out of this shit hole.'

'Strong words…' _Yuugi said, a little surprised._

_Anzu's necklace was now giving off a dazzling glow, and slowly, her six year old body began to transform back into her sixteen year old self._

"_This is not real. All this, including you, is an illusion created by the fear inside me," She spat at her father. "I will escape this world. I will see Yuugi again. And I will defeat Bakura."_

"_Yuugi?" Her father asked. "You think you'll see Yuugi again? Ha! You two will never see each other again! You're both dead!"_

"_This isn't real…"_

"_You won't escape here-"_

"_This isn't real-"_

"_-You'll both die-"_

"_-This isn't real-"_

"_-Yuugi's already dead."_

"_THIS ISN'T REAL!"_

_Anzu's crystal necklace gave out an intense burst of white light that lit up the whole room, blocking the sights of the gruesome kitchen from her past. She heard the illusion of her father scream out as he vanished into the shadows. The illusion of her old kitchen disappeared into the light, and Anzu felt her energy rushing back to her body._

_The light grew and grew, until is consumed all the shadows. Anzu looked up in the light, sensing someone in the distance. She saw Yuugi standing a short distance away from her, Black Magician Girl at his side._

"_Yuugi?" Anzu asked._

_Yuugi nodded. "You did it, Anzu. I'm so proud of you. You are finally able to use your true powers."_

"_What happened to the Shadows?" _

"_You destroyed them" Yuugi answered, his voice echoing in the light. "Your power was strong enough to destroy them. You truly are strong, Anzu."_

_Black Magician Girl nodded, before flying over to Anzu's side._

"_You are my Mistress again," she said happily. She gave her card to Anzu, the picture in the middle missing. "I am glad to be with Mistress again."_

"_Black Magician Girl…"_

"_You deserve her," Yuugi smiled. "And I know you both like each other's company. Besides, this way, I can still protect you even when I am not there."_

"_Yuugi…" Anzu stepped forward towards Yuugi, but stopped. She covered her eyes as the light suddenly became blinding. She sensed Black Magician Girl returning to her card. And she felt herself being pulled back into the real world._

"_Yuugi!" She screamed into the light. "Yuugi!"_

"_I love you, Anzu," came Yuugi's distance reply._

"_YUUGI!"_

-I-

"GAH!" Atemu cried out in pain as he fell to the ground, landing on his injured side. His sword dropped out of his hand and skidded on the floor to the other side of the hall and into the darkness. Trembling in pain, Atemu managed to open one eye and look up at the man responsible for the state he was in.

"Is that it?" Bakura asked in a mock shock. "Is that all you've got? Hmph! Some Pharaoh you are."

Atemu could only growl for the pain in his body was so excruciating he could not bring himself to talk. He quickly glanced down at his injured side. His whole left side was covered in his blood for his wound had not stopped bleeding. He felt dizzy and sick at the sight of it, and due to the lack of blood. The rest of his body had sustained some minor injuries as well, but nothing compared to the dangerous slash across his side. He slowly lifted his head back up to face Bakura, determination still on his face. No matter what, he refused to give up.

"Don't look at me like that!" Bakura laughed. "You may think you look brave, Pharaoh, but I can see the fear in your eyes. You're scared of dying, aren't you?"

Atemu refused to answer. He glared angrily at Bakura.

"Too bad," Bakura continued, enjoying every moment of Atemu's pain. "Because that's exactly what you're going to do." He lifted his sword above his head with both hand. The Kulna jewel flashed as a bolt of lightning flashed in the sky outside.

Atemu looked up at the blood stained sword with fear. He tried to move back, but his injury caused him too much pain. He trembled in fear.

"Do say hello to your mother and father for me," Bakura mocked. "And of course, say hello to your idiotic twin brother who's probably died in the Shadow Realm by now."

'_Yuugi…'_ A tear rolled down Atemu's cheek. '_I'm sorry…'_

Bakura smirked. "Goodbye…"

Yelling out, Bakura brought his sword down to Atemu. The young pharaoh closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain-

CLASH

A moment passed, and Atemu was still in one piece. The sound of clashing metal rang through his ears. Confused, he glanced up to find a figure standing before him, blocking Bakura's attack. A long, dark red cape draped the figure, and Atemu could just make out their black, spiky hair with red and purple highlights. His eyes widened in shock and he let out a surprised gasp.

"What is the meaning of this?" Bakura cried in outrage, trying to break the contact his sword now had with Atemu's protector.

"If you want to kill my brother," Yuugi said warning. "Then you have to kill me first."

"But how are you still alive? You should be dead by now!"

"Let's just say I found a light that guided me out," Yuugi answered determinedly. "Now get away from my brother!"

He thrust his body and sword forward, causing Bakura to stumbled and fall backwards. Bakura's sword landed with a loud clatter and skidded away from him on the floor.

"My jewel!" Bakura cried, hastily getting up and running after his sword and jewel.

Yuugi replaced his sword in his sheath, pleased with his work. Whipping round he knelt beside his brother.

"Yuugi," Atemu said emotionally, unable to believe the sight before him. "You…You are alive…"

"Of course I am," Yuugi smiled. "Who else is going to save your sorry behind?"

Atemu laughed, before reaching up and embracing his brother fiercely. Yuugi happily returned the hug, thankful to be with his brother again. They held onto each other, their bond as strong as ever.

"I was afraid I'd lost you," Atemu whispered as a few tears fell down his cheek.

"I will always be there for you, Atemu," Yuugi chocked as he too had tears fall down his cheek. "We are a team, and we will always be together."

A few moments passed before the two brothers finally let go of each other. It was then that Yuugi felt something warm on his tunic. He looked down to see blood had appeared in his white robes. But it was not his blood.

"Shit!" Yuugi cried when he saw the amount of blood on Atemu's left side. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Bakura," Atemu snarled as he allowed Yuugi to tend to his wound.

Yuugi ripped away Atemu's top half of his tunic, revealing his torso so he could get a better look at his wound. Yuugi flinched slightly. It was deep, and Atemu had already lost a lot of blood. He was surprised he was still conscious. He grabbed what was left of the top half of Atemu's tunic and used it to soak up the blood. Yuugi then tore a few strips from the end of his red cloak and wrapped them around Atemu's chest, covering the wound and holding the make-shift bandage in place.

"That should hold it for a while," Yuugi said. "But we need to get you back to the palace."

"Thank you, Yuugi," Atemu said, holding his now bandaged side. "I am so thankful you are here. But tell me, how did you escape from the Shadow Realm? Nothing like this has happened before."

"I am not sure," Yuugi answered truthfully. "I just remember seeing a bright light and the next thing I knew I was back here. I saw you on the floor and rushed over to help you."

"But what about-"

"Pharaoh!" Two voices called from the other side of the room.

Atemu and Yuugi looked up to see two blondes running towards them. One was male whilst the other was female. They both had smiles on their faces.

"Jonouchi!" "Mai!" Atemu and Yuugi called to their friends.

The blonde pair came to the royal brother's side and fell to their knees. They all embraced.

"Thank Ra you two are alive!" Yuugi cheered. They released each other from their hug.

"But how did you escape?" Atemu asked.

"I am not sure," Mai answered. "All I remember is seeing a beautiful white light…"

"Me too," Jonouchi agreed. "I saw the same light. The next thing I knew I was back here."

"The light felt so pure," Mai continued dreamily. "It was like nothing I have ever seen or felt before."

"The same thing happened to me," Yuugi interrupted. "But…I have the feeling I've felt that aura before…"

"Well," Jonouchi said happily, "at least we are all together again."

"Not all of us…" Atemu said solemnly.

Yuugi's head bolted up in panic. "Anzu!" '_How could I forget about Anzu? I hope she is all right.'_

He stood up and was about to run over to where Anzu's unconscious body was, but he froze. Ignoring a faint white light above him, he stared at the other side of the hall…

…Anzu was gone.

"No," he shook his head in disbelief. He panicked. "No…This cannot be…No…No…NO!"

"Yuugi!" Atemu barked. "Calm down-"

"How can I calm down?" Yuugi protested. "Anzu is gone!"

"She must be around here somewhere," Atemu said calmly. "She cannot have gone too far." He saw the fear on Yuugi's face as he collapsed to his knees in shock. Atemu placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "Do not worry, Yuugi. Anzu is alive and we will find her."

"I wouldn't count on that," Bakura's voice pierced the darkness.

The group all tensed as they heard Bakura's footsteps slowly approaching them. Mai held onto Jonouchi, whilst Jonouchi wrapped his arms around her shaking body. All he wanted to do was make Bakura pay for what he did to Mai. He wanted to kill him for keeping her imprisoned for two years. But he managed to control his anger. '_Bakura will get what is coming to him. I'll make sure of it…'_

"What do you mean by that?" Yuugi spat.

"I mean," Bakura said, stopping in front of the group. The Kulna jewel glowed dimly in his hand. "If Anzu is no longer here, then that means only one thing…"

"No…"

Bakura smirked. "She's dead."

"Liar!" Yuugi cried angrily, springing to his feetBut he was quickly pulled back down by his twin.

"Yuugi!" Atemu whispered in his ear. "You must control your anger. Do not listen to Bakura's lies-"

"Lies?" Bakura interrupted. He laughed manically. "You think I am lying, Pharaoh? I think not!" He spread out his arms in front of him. "Look around. Do you see your precious Anzu anywhere? I don't think so!" He laughed again.

Yuugi growled and clenched his fists in anger. '_Anzu is not dead. I can still feel her aura.'_ The faint white light above them began to slowly glow brighter, but no one seemed to notice.

"Face it, you little runt! Anzu is dead." Bakura held his glowing Kulna jewel towards the group. "And soon, you will all be too."

Mai screamed and buried her face into Jonouchi's chest. Jonouchi swallowed hard, his fear beginning to show on his face. Atemu and Yuugi growled in anger, but both prepared themselves for the immanent attack.

"Goodbye," Bakura smirked, his jewel now glowing brightly. "And good rid-"

He stopped. Something had caught his attention. His hand holding the jewel fell limply to his side and he looked up.

"What in the world…" he began to ask, before a powerful force knocked him off his feet and flung him to the other side of the hall. His head hit the wall, and he fell groggily to the floor.

The group looked up at the sound of Bakura being knocked back. It was then that they noticed the soft white light from before, which was now glowing brightly, illuminating the room.

"What is that?" Jonouchi asked.

Mai lifted her head up from Jonouchi's chest and gasped. "Look!"

The three young men followed Mai's pointed finger, which was pointing up at what seemed to be the source of the light. A large ball of light hovered above them, radiating the glow that was now lighting up the room.

"It's the light that saved us from the Shadow Realm," Mai exclaimed.

"You're right," Jonouchi said, amazed. "It is the same pure aura as before."

"But what is causing it?" Atemu asked.

Yuugi stared hard at the source of the light, hovering above them. He screwed his eyes as he saw a faint outline of something, encircled in the ball of light. Something in his heart was telling him he knew that figure. His eyes slowly widened as something clicked in his mind.

"The prophecy!" He exclaimed excitedly. "It is coming to pass!"

"What prophecy?" Atemu asked. "What are you talking about, Yuugi?"

"The prophecy about the Angel of Light!" Yuugi answered. He recited the prophecy:

"When the sacred items fail their task,

And the land is covered in evil's mask,

Pureness and truth must then fight,

Our fate hangs with the great Angel of Light."

"You mean that is the Angel of Light?" Jonouchi asked.

"Yes!" Yuugi said. "Don't you see? It is all coming true! "When the sacred items fail their task". Do you see? It is talking about the Millennium Items. Their powers have been stolen and are no longer able to protect us. And when it says, "And the land is covered in evil's mask"? That is happening as well. It is describing the black sand that now covers Kemet."

""Pureness and truth must then fight, Our fate hands with the great Angel of Light"," Atemu finished in a daze. "Yuugi is right. The prophecy is coming to pass."

"But who is the Angel of Light?" Mai asked. "Who do we know that is pure and true?"

"I know…" Yuugi said quietly.

He watched as the ball in the centre of the light began to die away, revealing the figure it had once concealed. A female figure was soon visible to the group. Large, beautiful white angel wings had sprouted from her back, keeping her in the air. Her skin glowed as her powers were awakened from a deep slumber. Her curvy body was covered in a white glow that resembled the shape of a dress, but seemed to be made out of the light itself. A small crystal necklace could been seen around her neck. The female's soft brown hair flowed in the small breeze. Slowly, she opened her glowing, crystal blue eyes.

"Is that…" Atemu gasped.

"Yes," Yuugi answered. "The Great Angel of Light has finally been revealed…"

Yuugi looked up at the angel as she looked down on him. Amethyst met crystal blue as a warm feeling like no other passed through both their bodies, like an electric shock.

Yuugi smiled as a tear fell down his cheek. "…Anzu."

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

_(1) Devil Dragon: _Koumori Dragon

_(2) Holy Barrier Mirror Force: _Mirror Force

_(3) Yuugi trembled and whimpered, leaning forward on the invisible barrier. He punched the barrier in frustration:_ As I was writing this, I thought of the episode when they're in the virtual world and Yugi is watching Anzu/Téa duel against one of the big five. You know, the bit where he's crying for her. I just felt so sorry for him there! I had to include a scene like that!

So, did you like it? I have to admit, this chapter didn't quite turn out the way I hoped it would. I have some much to write it's hard to put into words! Original, this was going to only be 14 chapters long. But as you can see, that plan didn't work out. :P But I'm hoping to make it 18 chapters…unless I think of something else to add!

Anyway, please R&R and let me know what you thought of the chapter. The next update will be in the Easter Holidays. Now, to prepare for my birthday…


	17. End Of Evil

Oh, how I love the holidays. No school, no work, and plenty of time to write stories!

Unfortunately, my school has decided to be cruel to me and give me a ton of homework to do due to the small fire we had a few weeks ago. Damn school.

Anyway, I've managed to put that work on hold for a while to give you this next instalment of 'Another World'. :sigh: how I love this story.

And I know you love it too. Especially:

**Dark Shining Light**

**cheeky-eyes**

**Sailor Charon**

**Crystallynne**

**kobear91**

**Greater Lights**

**Applegrape8910**

**yangs**

**trekker4life**

Thanks you guys! I'm so glad you like this story so much. I love reading all your reviews!

Right. Now on with the next chapter!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback/Shadow Realm_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! You agree with me, right?

-I-

Another World

Chapter 17: End Of Evil

-I-

Yuugi smiled as a tear fell down his cheek. "…Anzu."

He stared into her (glowing) crystal blue eyes. So, Anzu was the Angel of Light they had been looking for. He had a feeling she would be. Every since they had first met back in the desert, he had sensed a powerful force in her. It was weak at first, for it had laid dormant for sixteen years. So Yuugi had trained Anzu to use her powers, just like he could use his. But he hadn't had trained her so she could use her powers like this. He had trained her so she could summon monsters and protect herself if he wasn't around.

He felt another warm tear slowly fall down his other cheek. Even though he was happy that the Angel of Light had finally been found, and she could now finally stop Bakura's Silent Enchantment of Unholiness, he didn't want to lose Anzu. He loved her. He loved her with all his heart. He felt guilty for not realising it sooner but now that he had, he didn't want to lose the only girl he truly loved. But what could he do?

Pharaoh Atemu looked up at the angel with wide eyes. He mentally hit himself. Yuugi had talked about Anzu being the Angel of Light, but for some reason he had never truly believed it. Maybe it was because he had been suspicious of her at the time. But now all that suspicion was gone. Vanished. Just by looking at Anzu's angelic form they had all disappeared. He admired Anzu now, and knew she and Yuugi were meant to be together.

Speaking of Yuugi, he had gone very quiet all of a sudden. Atemu turned to his brother and felt his heart drop. Yuugi was staring up at her with such love, but tears were slowly falling down his cheeks. Limping and holding his injured side, he came to his brother's side.

"Yuugi, what is wrong?" He asked. "Why are you sad?"

Yuugi wiped a few of the tears away and sniffed before he answered. "Anzu is the Angel of Light, Atemu," he answered, whimpering. "She is the one we have been looking for."

"I know!" Atemu exclaimed happily, gazing up. "We have finally found her Yuugi! Kemet is saved!" He looked back at his brother. "But why does this make you sad?"

Yuugi sniffed again. "Because I do not know what will happen to her."

"What do you mean?"

"The prophecy says the Angel of Light will save us all with her power. But Anzu's powers may not be strong enough. If she fights Bakura, she may use up all her powers. And then…and then…" Yuugi's voice failed him as more tears began to fall.

"And then she might die," Atemu finished solemnly. "Is that what you are trying to say? You think Anzu will use up all her powers and die just like father did? To protect us?"

Yuugi nodded. His body trembled as he quietly sobbed. Atemu couldn't stand seeing his brother so upset, so he did the only thing he could do; he gave his twin a small hug before softly saying:

"Yuugi, I can assure you Anzu will not die. She is far stronger than many people believe she is. You of all people should know that. Anzu loves you, and she will never leave you."

Yuugi glanced up at his brother. "Really?"

"Really," Atemu answered with a smiling, giving a small nod of his head. "You and Anzu are meant to be together. And nothing can come in between a love like that."

'_I hope you are right, brother…'_ Yuugi silently prayed. He and his brother glanced up at Anzu, waiting.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the hall, our least favourite villain groaned as he regained consciousness.

"Urgh," Bakura groaned, rubbing his sore head. "What hit me?"

As his eyes flickered open, he noticed a bright light filling the room. Thinking he was somehow causing it, he looked down at the Kulna Jewel in his left hand. But upon seeing that it was not glowing, he glanced up at the others in the hall, confused. It was then that he noticed someone hovering above him, causing the great light around him.

"This cannot be!" he cried at the angelic figure. "You're suppose to be dead! You can't be the Angel of Light!"

Anzu broke her eye contact she had with Yuugi and looked down on the fallen leader of the Empire of Dark Souls.

"Bakura," she said. Her voice echoed like a void around her. "You have committed a crime that can never be forgiven."

"Oh really?" Bakura asked in an angry, sarcastic voice. "And what would that be?"

"For almost a millennia you have been stealing powers not meant for you," Anzu continued. "You killed innocent people just to satisfy your own needs…"

"Is that all?" Bakura mocked angrily, slowly standing to his feet.

"Far from it. You have destroyed countless worlds just for revenge. You killed my mother just so you could get my powers. And you tried to destroyed Kemet."

""Tried?" Ha! Take a look around you. I _have_ conquered Kemet. It took me two years but I did it. Your ancestor killed mine 3 thousand years ago. I did all this just so I could have my revenge. I did it all just so I could finally get what is rightfully mine!"

"What you did was not right. And I see now you were controlled by your anger. Your hate. And I can see that you deserve not to live."

"So what now? Are you going to kill me?"

"If that is the only way to save this world as well as others, then yes. I shall kill you."

"Ha!" Bakura laughed. "_You_ kill _me_? You're not capable of such a task! You can never stop me!"

Bakura held up his left hand towards Anzu just as a powerful beam of red light shot out of his jewel. It was heading straight for Anzu's heart.

"ANZU!" Yuugi screamed in horror, stepping away from his brother.

But Anzu did not flinch. She calmly raised her hands in front of her, her palms facing the beam shooting towards her. Closing her eyes, she focussed her powers on protecting herself. She mumbled something under her breath.

"Die abazure (1)!" Bakura yelled with anger. His beam was just about to hit Anzu…

…But it was deflected. Just as the beam was about to strike the angel, Anzu shot out a powerful white beam of her own, stopping the attack. A bright pink ball quickly formed were the two attacks collided, creating a small explosion. Bakura groaned in pain as he tried to force Anzu to stop her attack. But he was too weak. The harder he tried, the more Anzu seemed to be winning the battle. Without breaking a sweat, Anzu focused her powers hard on the white beam shooting out of her hands. Slowly but surely, she was forcing Bakura's beam back towards his jewel.

"No," Bakura growled. "I won't…let you…win…GAH!"

Bakura cried out as Anzu sent out more power into her beam, causing Bakura's own red beam to suddenly explode and disappear. Anzu's attack shot straight to the Kulna Jewel, striking it in the centre. If shattered instantly.

"NO!" Bakura cried out in horror and rays and sparks of colourful light shot out of the shattered jewel.

Lights, every colour of the rainbow, swirled around the room, bouncing off the walls but dodging the people below. They lit up the room in bright colours, dancing around in a beautiful display of power before trying to escape. The small gathered crowd gasped at the beautiful sight. Most of the sparks of light managed to escape through some of the windows and through the partially opened door, returning to their original origins. However, some stayed in the hall.

The sparks of light that were left flying around were a rich golden colour. They were of different sizes, but all were gold. The largest of the sparks suddenly changed its direction from one of the windows and shot towards Atemu. Before Atemu could move, the spark collided with his Millennium Puzzle, disappearing inside. The Puzzle began to glow brightly, and the familiar eye symbol glowed on Atemu's forehead.

"What's happening?" Bakura cried as he watched the events unfold before him.

There were three smaller sparks of gold light left. Each had their target. The largest of the three flew into Yuugi's eye-shaped pendant around his neck. The other two flew into the pendants worn by Mai and Jonouchi. As soon as the sparks entered the eyes, they began to glow. Yuugi sighed as he felt a familiar power enter his body like a breath of fresh air. He felt his energy rushing back into him.

"Atemu," he cheered, lifting his pendant in his hand. "Our powers…They are back!"

"This is incredible," Atemu said, amazed. He held his glowing Millennium Puzzle in his hand. "Anzu has managed to restore the powers of the Millennium Items."

"Not just that," Mai spoke up. "She restored all the powers Bakura had stolen over the centuries. He's powerless now!"

Yuugi looked up at Anzu. Her incandescent aura had grown so brightly she now resembled a star. Her bright eyes were fixed on Bakura. Yuugi swallowed. Anzu wasn't finished yet. There was still something she had to do.

And Bakura knew that too.

"No! This cannot be happening!" He slowly walked backwards until he was backed against the wall. He dropped what remained of the Kulna Jewel from his hand to the floor.

Anzu stared daggers at the man had that ruined so many lives.

"It is time for you to pay." She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, before she began to chant. "I call upon the monsters in the Dominion of the Beast. Help us destroy this evil once and for all!"

A small ball of light suddenly burst into life where Anzu's heart was. The soft pink ball shot out of her chest and into the air in front of her, growing as Anzu transferred more of her powers to it.

Anzu's eyes shot open.

"I summon Black Magician Girl!"

The now large pink ball of light suddenly burst open, revealing Black Magician Girl in her fighting stance, ready to strike.

Bakura swallowed hard. '_S-She wasn't kidding. She really _is _going to kill me!'_

Anzu tore her angry gaze away from Bakura and looked down at her friends with soft eyes.

"I cannot do this on my own," she said gently.

Yuugi was the first to catch on to Anzu's meaning. Flipping out a card from his deck, he held it above his head. His pendant, along with his chosen card, began to glow even brighter.

"I summon Maha Vailo!"

The familiar burst of white light shot out of the card as the creature dressed in rich blue robes crossed from his own domain into this one. Once the transfer was complete and the light from the borders of the two worlds died down, Maha Vailo flew up and hovered next to Black Magician Girl.

Atemu, Jonouchi and Mai saw what Yuugi had done, and knew they had to help too. Each holding a card above their heads, they each summoned their favourite monsters.

"I summon Black Magician!"

"I summon Swordsman of Flames (2)!"

"I summon Harpie Lady!"

The three new monsters instantly crossed over from one world to the next through the familiar light, going to their battle positions. Each was ready to attack.

"No. Please!" Bakura begged. He trembled as he looked up at the powerful monsters. "Have mercy-"

"Evil shall have what evil does deserve," Anzu said calmly. She held out her hand in front of her and pointed to Bakura. "Now our creatures…ATTACK!"

A powerful blast of pink, followed by an electric lightning bolt, combined with a fiery sword and razor sharp claws as the four attacks-fuelled by the powers of both the Millennium Items and Anzu's incredible magical energies-shot towards the violently trembling Bakura.

Yuugi, Atemu and the others watched with both horror and amazement as the attacks collided with Bakura's unprotected body, engulfing him in a large colourful, but deadly blast, consuming his body. They tried to block out the sound of Bakura's piercing scream and the sound of burning flesh.

"This isn't over!" Bakura's voice echoed around the hall, before the large explosion around his body faded away. There was nothing left but the charred pieces of the Kulna Jewel.

Our favourite group of four-who had all huddled together to protect themselves from the force of the blast- looked up just in time to see their monsters returning to their own worlds via the cards in their decks. They gazed at the burnt area of wall opposite them, their eyes falling onto the last few remaining pieces of the Kulna Jewel.

Each one could feel their hearts beginning to beat faster and harder in their chests from excitement. It was over. It was finally over. After two years of suffering from the Empire of Dark Souls, they had finally been beaten. They had won.

"I do not believe it," Jonouchi whispered in excitement.

"Is this real?" Mai asked in a shocked voice.

"Yes…It is," Atemu answered, as shocked as his companions were. "I do not know how, but it's true…It's true…"

"We did it," Yuugi gasped. "Bakura is…dead. We actually did it." Slowly, the realisation of what had just happened began to sink in. A huge smile stretched across his face as he cheered. "We did it! We defeated Bakura!"

"No," came Anzu's eerie yet beautiful voice. "We are not finished yet."

Yuugi looked up at the angel. "What do you mean?"

"The leader may be gone," Anzu continued, "but that does not mean the other soldiers have also been defeated." She looked down at Atemu. "Pharaoh, I need you to summon the Great Gods."

"The Great Gods?" Atemu questioned. "But they have not been summoned since the creation of the Millennium Items. I do not think I have enough power to summon them."

"I will lend you some of my power to help you. But we need them now to restore Kemet to the peaceful land it once was. Please, Pharaoh. Summon the Great Gods so we can finally end this evil."

Atemu hesitated. Summoning the Great Gods required a lot of power. Power that he lacked due to his young age. He turned to his brother.

"Yuugi, will you help me?" He asked. "I cannot summon them alone. We are twins after all and share the same power passed down through our bloodline. The Gods cannot be summoned unless we do it together."

"Of course I will help you," Yuugi nodded, stepping next to his brother with a smile. But that smile soon faded when a thought crossed his mind. He looked up at the Angel of Light. "But what will happen to you? You have already used a lot of your powers. Powers you are still getting used to. How do I know you won't…you won't…"

"Die?" Anzu finished off for Yuugi, for he was unable to bring himself to say that word. Yuugi looked up and nodded sadly. Anzu smiled. "Yuugi, I can never leave you. I promise you I will not leave you. Trust me…"

Yuugi hesitated for a moment, before he nodded his head. His heart knew Anzu was telling the truth. And his heart never lied.

Giving his brother a reassuring look, he stood by his side as Atemu drew out the three Gods cards. Holding the powerful cards of blue, red and yellow over their heads, they focussed their powers on summoning these great beasts. The Millennium Puzzle and Yuugi's pendant began to grow brighter than ever before.

Mai and Jonouchi held onto each other as they watched the sight before them in amazement. Yuugi and Atemu were slowly being absorbed by a golden glow. They looked up above and saw Anzu was covered in the same glow, her white angel wings now turning golden.

The God cards in the brothers' hands began to glow their respective colours. They were ready to be realised.

"Now we summon the Great Gods: Obelisk the Giant God Soldier (3); Osiris the Heaven God (4); and Ra the Winged Dragon (5)!"

Three bursts of light-one blue, one red and one yellow- shot out of the cards and flew up into the air, growing as they gained height. They flew past Anzu and blasted through the roof of the hall and into the heavily clouded sky. The group below narrowly missed the falling debris.

The shots of light hid themselves into the clouds, before a great eruption was head. The ground outside shook below their feet as the ground cracked open loudly, allowing a titanic blue monster to rise out of the ground.

A flash of lightning erupted across the dark sky, weaving its way like a snake through the dark clouds. The white lightning turned red, sprouting two large winds, two front legs and two months placed on top of each other on a giant head. The red monster gave out a mighty roar before joining his companion.

A burst of hot light momentarily lit up the sky, sending a large fiery bird-like creature out into the storm. The hot fire from around its body disintegrated, leaving the body of a gold dragon with wings to fly down to his allies.

Mai and Jonouchi rushed to the nearest window, their jaws dropping at the sight of the Great Gods. Atemu and Yuugi-still holding the empty cards in their hands and still surrounded by the golden glow-calmly walked to their side.

"This is incredible," Jonouchi gasped.

Anzu flew straight up and out of the hall, facing the Gods before her.

"Obelisk!" she ordered gracefully to the blue God. "Go and destroy all that the Empire of Dark Souls has created. Osiris!" She faced the Red snake-like dragon. "Go and destroy all those that have forever turned against Kemet. Ra!" She turned to the winged yellow dragon. "Restore Kemet's pure light a diminish the darkness. GO!"

The Great Gods gave a mighty roar before flying off into the sky to complete their tasks.

-I-

Honda knew he should be paying attention to the battle. After all, it was literally a matter of life or death. He knew he should be focussing on the opponents in front of him. But something just didn't feel right.

Just narrowly missing a long sword from digging into his chest, he dived far away enough to look in the direction of the low rumbling he could now hear. Spotting something in the sky in the distance, he screwed his eyes to try and distinguish the three dark figures.

But he heard them before he saw them.

And so did the other soldiers around him. Upon hearing three different yet all powerful roars, all the soldiers from both Kemet and the Empire stopped their fighting momentarily and looked up into the sky.

Honda looked closely, thinking he could see the colours of the "things" flying towards them. One seemed to be blue, whist another was a vibrant red. The last one, as far as he could tell, was yellow or gold.

"What the…"

Before he got a chance to finish his question, the blue "thing" suddenly appeared in front of them.

"Is that Obelisk?" Honda muttered under his breath.

Everyone watched with either amazement or horror as Obelisk flew past them, using his powerful fist to destroy all the structures in the surrounding area that had been plagued by the evil from the Empire of Dark Souls. His rampage was over in mere seconds before he moved on.

Honda's attention was drawn away from Obelisk when he heard explosions and blood curdling screams around him. Spinning round, he caught a glimpse of the red "thing" flying over his head.

"Osiris?"

Osiris opened one of his two mouths and fired more shots at all the soldiers dressed in black. As the fiery and electric balls hit the soldiers, their bodies were destroyed painful in an instant, leaving only ashes. Strangely enough (if this wasn't strange already), all the soldiers that belonged to Kemet did not feel the heat from the attacks or were injured in any way at all. Osiris's attack was over as quickly as Obelisk's.

Next it was the turn of the third god. Honda didn't need to look up into the sky to know that it was Ra.

Shooting up into the sky, the final god sent out an intense burst of light down onto the land. The light was so bright it chased the shadows that had once stained most of Kemet away. The darkness quickly began to lift from the ground as well as the sky. The light was restored to a once dark Kemet, before Ra disappeared and followed after his companions.

Honda looked up into the now clear blue sky, feeling the warm sun on his face. He knelt down and picked up a handful of white sand in his hand. He let it escape through his fingers, a smile appearing on his tired face.

"We won," he said in an excited whisper. "We won…" He turned to face all his soldiers and yelled happily. "WE WON!"

Every single man there erupted into a cheer and celebrated. Brothers, cousins, friends, even complete strangers embraced one another, ecstatic beyond belief. They had won. They had actually won. With the help of the Great Gods of legend they had finally defeated the Empire of Dark Souls after two long years.

But just as Honda was happily dancing with one of his men, he happened to notice something in the distance. Stopping his joyful dance, he squinted his eyes to get a better look.

"What do you see, sir?" one of his men asked him, coming to his side.

"I am not sure," Honda replied truthfully. "It looks like some sort of building." He turned to his men. "Send a small group to investigate that building. Make sure at least one of you can use heka. Summon a monster to report to me when the area is secure."

Four of his soldiers immediately and eagerly volunteered, heading to the strange building as fast as possible, eager to discover what was in this remote building.

-I-

The Great Gods of legend quickly travelled throughout Kemet, restoring it to its former glory, before returning back to their Master's cards.

Flying back to Bakura's old hideout, they gods were consumed by the same light that had brought them into this world. The light shrunk into small balls of colourful light before flying back into the hall and into the cards held by Yuugi and Atemu.

The two brothers replaced the cards as the aura around them disappeared. They stood proud and surprisingly strong. They checked themselves over. From what they had heard in stories passed down, the last time a pharaoh had summoned the Great Gods they had been so weak they had not been able to rise out of their bed for six days. And yet, the two brothers only felt a little tired. Yuugi wondered, was that Anzu's doing?

A loud groan soon broke the trance the Gods had placed over the small group of four friends. They simultaneously turned around to see Malik sitting up on his knees.

"Ow," Malik groaned, rubbing his head. "What happened to me?"

Yuugi growled at the sight of Malik returning from the Shadow Realm, but he was soon silenced by Mai holding up her hand in front of him.

"Malik was under the control of Bakura," Mai said in reply to Yuugi's questioning look. "He wasn't really evil. His mind was being controlled by Bakura's Kulna Jewel. That was one of its powers."

"But how can we be sure of that?" Atemu asked.

"Trust me, I was kept a prisoner here for two years. I did see a few things. Malik is on our side. Always has been and always will be. We can trust him." She wondered over to Malik's side.

"If you say so," Jonouchi said, following Mai. Atemu followed closely behind, limping slightly due to his injured side.

Whilst the others tended to a confused Malik, Yuugi had other things on his mind. He looked up above him and smiled.

"It is finally over," Anzu's voice echoed. She hovered a few feet down so she was half way between the floor and the ceiling.

"Yes, it is," Yuugi sighed happily. "And it was all because of you, Anzu. You are the Angel of Light from the prophecy that restored the light to our land. You not only saved Kemet, but the whole universe. We owe you so much."

"No, Yuugi. You do not owe me anything. If anything I owe you. You showed me that true kindness does exist within people. You've show me the care and love I've been yearning for since the loss of my mother. Thank you…"

"How could I do anything less for the person I lo-" Yuugi stopped. Something was wrong. Anzu didn't look so good (even though she was still the Angel of Light which wasn't exactly normal).

"Anzu?" Yuugi asked tentatively seeing the aura around Anzu being to flicker.

Anzu held her arms around her body and brought her knees to her chest. The aura that had once covered her body began to flicker, her body tansforming from that of her angel form back to her original form. Her clothes started to fade back with her, the cloud like substance fading that had covered her skin a moment ago fading away.

"Anzu?" Yuugi asked again, more concerned. Anzu's body was starting to fall, and Yuugi could clearly see she was in some sort of pain. "Anzu!" This last cry caught the attention of his brother and his friends.

"Yuugi," Atemu called. "Is something wrong?"

"Anzu!" Yuugi replied in a panic. "Something is wrong with-"

But before Yuugi could finished, Anzu let out a scream as the angelic aura completely vanished around her, returning her to her original self. With no powers controlling her body any more, she was unable to stay in the air. Slowly, her body began to fall to the ground, increasing in speed as gravity started to come into effect.

"ANZU!" Yuugi cried. He ran forward as fast as he could, ignoring any pain his body had sustained from his battles. Stretching his arms out in front of his, he just managed to catch Anzu in his arms, falling to his knees as he cradled her in his arms.

Her body was limp, and she wasn't moving.

"Anzu," Yuugi sobbed. "Anzu please. Wake up…Wake up…" A tear fell onto one of Anzu's closed eyes.

"PLEASE WAKE UP!"

-I-

To be Continued…

-I-

_(1) abazure: _Japanese for 'bitch'

_(2) Swordsman of Flames_: Flame Swordsman

_(3) Obelisk the Giant God Soldier_: The God of the Obelisk/ Obelisk the Tormentor

_(4) Osiris the Heaven God_: Slifer the Sky Dragon

_(5) Ra the Winged Dragon_: The Sun Dragon Ra/ The Winged Dragon of Ra

You thought it was finished, didn't you? Well, I thought I'd put in one more cliff-hanger just for the sake of it!

Anyway, please R&R and let me know what you thought of this chapter. The next chapter will be the last. How sad is that? TT (ß--me crying)

Oh! And one more thing. Can anyone draw? Because I would really appreciate it if someone could draw a picture for this story. Can anyone help me out?


	18. Just The Beginning

I will not cry…I will not cry…I will not cry…

I'M CRYING!

:sniff: I can't believe it. This is the very last chapter of 'Another World'. It's been almost a year since I started writing this (during the middle of my exams :P) and I've enjoyed every minute of it!

Thanks to these people for reviewing the last chapter:

**Dark Shining Light**

**Isis the Sphinx**

**kobear91**

**Greater Lights**

**Una1**

**Crystallynne**

**yangs**

**trekker4life**

Thank you so much you guys. I'm going to miss reading your fantastic reviews!

Now, on with the final chapter…

…Here come the waterworks again!

'_Thoughts'_

_Dream/flashback/Shadow Realm_

"_Speaking in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm"_

'Thoughts in dreams/flashbacks/Shadow Realm'

"Speaking (normal)"

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I would have Yuugi/ Anzu an official couple! I am a dedicated Peachshipping fan for life!

-I-

Another World

Chapter 18: Just The Beginning…

-I-

"Please Anzu!" Yuugi begged. "Please open your eyes!"

The small group of friends- Pharaoh Atemu, Jonouchi, Mai and Malik-whom had gathered in a small circle around Yuugi, looked on with saddened eyes. This was the last thing they wanted to happen. Their hearts were breaking as each second passed, and Anzu still didn't move.

Mai gave a whimper as Yuugi continued to try and get Anzu to give some sign of life. She hadn't known the girl for very long, but from what she had seen she was a truly amazing human being, even if she was not from their world. And she could easily see how deeply in love Yuugi was with her. Not able to continue watching the scene before her, she buried her face into Jonouchi's chest and cried.

Jonouchi wrapped his arms around Mai's body, but looked on at Yuugi and Anzu. Tears of sadness were streaming down his once brave face. Jonouchi was not usually one to cry. Many thought of him unable to do so for he always seemed so strong. But he had known Anzu, like Atemu and Yuugi had. He had formed a small friendship with the foreign girl. A friendship that now looked broken. He gave a small sob as he gazed at Anzu's limp body.

Malik couldn't bring himself to cry. He was far too shocked to show any emotion. Whilst he had been under the control of Bakura, he had never gotten the chance to know Anzu. All he had seen was what Bakura had wanted him to see: a source of power for the Empire of Dark Souls. He felt guilty for trying to hurt Anzu in the way that he did, even though it wasn't his fault. '_I should have fought harder,'_ he thought with regret. '_I should have fought the darkness harder. Then maybe none of this would have happened…'_

Atemu whimpered and sobbed, but not at much as his brother. Like Jonouchi, he had come to accept the strange girl in his world, his country, him home. He had even formed a friendship with her. When Yuugi had run off and was missing, it had been Anzu that had kept the hope in his heart alive. It had been Anzu that had managed to find him with her Maha Vailo card. If it hadn't had been for Anzu, Kemet would be destroyed and they would all be dead. And Yuugi would have never experience real love, like he has now. Anzu had done so much for them in only a short amount of time. So why were the Gods punishing not only her, but everyone that had come to accept her, like this?

Yuugi sobbed and sobbed, cradling the still unconscious Anzu in his arms. Atemu could only watch on. Nothing could save Anzu now. The Millennium Items were not designed for something like this, and there was no monster that could help her now. Atemu shifted forward a little and placed a comforting arm around his brother.

"Yuugi, my brother," he said, whimpering slightly. He found it hard to find the right words. "I am so sorry…I never meant for any of this to happen."

Yuugi sniffed. "I-It's not your fault," Yuugi sobbed. "None of this is your fault, Atemu. It's Bakura's. All of this is Bakura's fault…"

"And mine…" Malik added quietly, bowing his head.

Yuugi looked up. "No, Malik. It is not your fault either. I can see that now. You were under the control of that…that…that _bastard_. You are not to blame."

Malik was about to protest, but decided against it. He nodded his head slowly, before looking back at Anzu.

Yuugi gave a faint smile, before it quickly faded as he gazed down lovingly at Anzu. '_My angel…'_

"Why won't she wake up?" Yuugi whispered hoarsely. "Why won't she listen to me?"

"I…I do not know…" Atemu turned his head away.

Yuugi sniffed. "We promised…We promised we would always be there for each other. I promised her she would never be alone. I promised her I would never leave her. And she promised me…She promised me she would be all right. She said she would not die, like father did. She promised me Atemu!"

"I know Yuugi," Atemu turned back to face his overwhelmed brother. "I know-"

"Then why won't she wake up?" Yuugi cried. "Why? When I love her so much…" He sobbed, pulling Anzu's body closer to his. He let out a few more sobs. "First mother and father, now Anzu. Why do the people I love die? WHY!"

Atemu could feel his heart breaking. There was nothing any of them could do. They could only watch.

Yuugi opened his eyes and looked down at Anzu's peaceful face, lifting her chin up gently with his hand. He gave a small smile.

"Anzu," he said softly. "I'm sorry I treated you so badly before. I'm sorry I accused you of using me to get to my brother. I was not thinking. My mind was clouded by my emotions. The emotions I have for you. I love you Anzu, and I truly regret not telling you sooner. If I had, then maybe none of this would never have happened, and you would still be here with me."

He lowered his head and planted a gentle kiss on Anzu's lips.

"I love you," he whispered when he pulled away, before holding her body as close to his as possible. He buried his head in her soft hair as the tears streamed out. "Please, do not leave me…"

…But then his eyes shot open. As he'd been crying and speaking, he hadn't even realised that someone had stirred in his arms. Now he could feel someone wrapping their arms around his torso, burying their face in his chest. They whimpered as they too began to cry.

"Never…" the sweet, angelic voice that Yuugi loved said.

Yuugi looked down, his heart thumping in his chest, and saw Anzu holding onto him tightly as if she never wanted to let go.

"Anzu…"

"I would never leave you," Anzu whispered. "I love you…"

Startled, Yuugi gently pulled back to see Anzu's face. Upon seeing her loving gaze and (weakened but) blissful smile, Yuugi felt himself being overwhelmed by more emotions.

"You…You're alive…" he gasped, astonished.

"Of course I am," Anzu said gently. "How could I leave the man I love?"

The shock soon vanished and was replaced by overpowering joy. Giving a cheer, Yuugi wrapped his arms around Anzu's body, as she did the same. For the longest moment, the two teenagers embraced, still on their knees in the middle of the old hall, surrounded by a small group of people. But none of that mattered just then.

Yuugi had never felt so happy in his life. He closed his eyes in bliss, thankful for the Gods not taking his angel away from him.

The small group around them all looked on, feeling almost as happy as Yuugi did. They all silently prayed their thanks to the Gods for allowing these two people another chance of happiness together.

After a while, the couple broke their embrace. They looked lovingly into each other's eyes.

"Oh Anzu," Yuugi sighed, gently caressing her face. "I'm so happy you are alive. I'm so sorry for the way I treated you before. When I accused you and would not speak to you. I feel like such an id-"

Yuugi was silenced by Anzu placing her finger softly on his lips.

"You don't have to apologise," she said. "It's all in the past now. I don't hold anything against you. I love you Yuugi, and all I want to do is spend the rest of my life with you."

"I want the same thing. I love you too, Anzu…"

And before another word was said, Yuugi and Anzu closed their eyes and gently placed their lips on top of one another's, enjoying the sweet, blissful sensation of their first kiss.

"Aww…" Mai sighed.

"I guess it's true," Malik smiled. "Love _does_ conquer all."

"Yes," Atemu nodded, catching a quick glance of Mai and Jonouchi kissing next to him.

Yuugi and Anzu were on cloud nine as the kiss deepened. But it ended all too soon when they were brought back to reality when Anzu's necklace suddenly shot out a bright ray of white light into the all.

"What the-" Anzu cried in shock. She felt Yuugi hold onto her protectively.

The group all looked up in surprise as a figure slowly began to appear out of the ray of light.

"Now what?" Jonouchi cried, holding onto Mai.

The bright light around the figure began to die away, leaving only a faint white glow. The group looked up to see a female figure hovering above them by the means of the beautiful silver angel wings on her back. Her chestnut chair ruffled in the small breeze, brushing against her glowing skin.

Jonouchi blinked. "Is it just me, or does she look like Anzu?"

"It's not just you," Malik said, rubbing his eyes. "She _does_ look like Anzu."

"But who is she?" Mai asked.

"I think I know," Atemu answered. "She looks like the figure on the stone tablet back in the palace. She must the first Angel of Light."

"The first Angel of Light?" Anzu asked. She looked up at the "angel", whom was now waiting for them to speak. She swallowed nervously. "Are you really the first angel?"

"Indeed I am," came the figure's eerie, calm reply.

"And does that mean…you're my ancestor?"

"Yes, Anzu. We are related. And as my descendent it was up to you to fulfil the prophecy."

"And I did…didn't I?"

"Yes, and I am very proud of you. You not only saved Kemet, but the many different worlds that exist in this universe. We are all so grateful to you…"

"You can say that again," Jonouchi mumbled. He groaned when Mai hit him in the chest with her elbow.

"…And I know your mother would be very proud of you. But there is still one more choice you have to make," the angel continued in a more serious voice.

"And what's that?" Anzu asked.

"You are not from this world, Anzu. Just as I was transported here three millennia ago, you were also transported. You do not truly belong here. And so you now have the choice: you may continued to live here in Kemet, or you may return home?"

"I can go home?" Anzu asked for confirmation.

"Yes, but if you do you may never return. Likewise if you choose to stay you may never return back to your own world."

"I…I can _never_ go back to Domino? _Ever_?"

"Only if you choose to stay."

Yuugi looked up at the angel, then down at Anzu's surprised face, before turning away. He had forgotten that Anzu wasn't from Kemet. It felt like he had known her for an eternity. He had hoped a decision like this would never come. He had wanted to stay with Anzu for the rest of his life, like he had heard in so many fairy tales. But this was reality. And things like that never happen in reality…

Anzu thought for a moment. This was her only chance to return to her own world. Back to Domino. But if she left, that would mean she would have to leave Yuugi and all her new friends. Was she really willing to give that all up to return to the place of her birth?

"Have you decided?" the angel asked, breaking the silence that had fallen across the hall.

Anzu looked up determinedly. "Yes."

"Then what do you choose?"

Anzu sighed. "I know I do not belong in Kemet, for I am not from this world. I come from Domino City in Japan. Not Illuminarta in the Kingdom of Light-"

Yuugi braced himself for the harsh words…

"But…"

Yuugi's eyes shot open. He looked down at Anzu, feeling her squeeze his hand.

Anzu smiled. Usually, a choice like this would be hard to make. But for her, it wasn't. Back in Domino she had had an unhappy life after her mother's death. Even though she had a few friends at Domino High School, she was never truly happy. Here is Kemet, she had been shown kindness like none she'd ever seen. Why would she want to leave?

"That doesn't mean that I don't _feel_ like I belong here," she continued after a pause. "Yuugi and the others have given me happiness and a new life. A life that I want to continue living. I feel at home here." She kissed Yuugi on the cheek. "Especially with Yuugi."

"So you wish to stay? You do not wish to return home?"

"This is my home."

The angel smiled. "Very well. If that is your wish, then it shall be granted. May your life be filled with peace and joy."

"Thank you," Anzu nodded.

The angel gave a small nod of understanding, before she vanished in a bright burst of light. Small sparks of light gently floated to the ground before they disappeared.

Yuugi would never thought it possible to feel so blissfully happy. Anzu had decided to stay here, in Kemet. She wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her. Be lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.

"Lets go home," he whispered, before kissing her again.

And within a matter of moments, the small group found themselves either riding or flying (courtesy of their summoned monsters) back to Illuminarta. Back to their home.

-I-

Yuugi's sandaled feet slapped loudly on the stone floor as he ran down the corridor, dodging the various Priests and servants that littered them on his way.

'_Atemu's going to kill me.'_

Two days after the defeat of the Empire of Dark Souls, you would have expected the royal brothers to be taking things easy. But sadly, this was not the case. As soon as they had returned they had busied themselves with restoring the Kingdom of Light (as well as the rest of Kemet) to its former glory.

And who says the royal family takes things easy?

Yuugi apologised to one of the guards as he accidentally bumped into him, before dashing to the large wooden doors in front of him and throwing them open.

"Sorry I'm late!" Yuugi called into the large assembly hall.

Atemu looked up from the various parchments he and one of his advisors were looking over to see his breathless twin walking up to him.

"Yuugi," he said, surprised. He quickly dismissed his advisor before looking back at his brother. "I did not expect you to be here."

"And why not?" Yuugi asked. Atemu's advisor left the hall with a bow at the royal twins, leaving the door open. Yuugi came to his brother's side. "We have a lot of work to do."

"Actually," Atemu said, looking up from his seat. "We do not have that much left to do."

Yuugi blinked. "How come? I thought we needed to start work on the Kingdoms of Hope and Destiny?"

"That is not necessary anymore. Honda returned in the early hours with some important news."

"Honda has returned? Is he all right?"

"Yes, he's fine. He is just exhausted from the battles. But that is not what I wanted to tell you. I have been informed that Honda found a prison of some sort near the battle field."

"A prison? Was it one of the Empire's?"

"Yes. And you'll never believe who they found there…"

"Who?"

"Otogi."

"Otogi!" Yuugi exclaimed happily. "H-He's alive!"

"Yes. It seems that the Empire built that prison to house all those they thought would be of some use to them. Otogi being one of them."

"So does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yes," Atemu nodded. "Otogi, along with all the remaining survivors, can return to the Kingdom of Hope and rebuild their kingdom. Of course, we will help them. They cannot do it alone. Priest Seto has already set off to join them at their capital, Praisia. Of course, that means Shizuka will be in a bit of a bad mood until he gets back…"

"But what about the Kingdom of Destiny?" Yuugi asked more solemnly. "Everyone in the royal family was killed, weren't they?"

"Yes, that is true. But they have found someone that is a far descendent of the royal bloodline. They have already taken the throne and have taken the remaining survivors back to the Kingdom of Destiny to start rebuilding. Priest Shada is due to set off for Sharluka soon to help them."

"Oh…" Yuugi thought for a moment. "But what about-"

"Yuugi," Atemu interrupted with a laugh. He stood and faced his brother. "Everything has been taken care of. I am the Pharaoh. These sorts of things are my responsibility."

"True, but we are twins. We promised mother and father we would share the responsibility."

"I know, but there really isn't that much to do. You would only get bored."

"Yes, but…"

Atemu smiled. His brother could be as stubborn as him. They truly were identical twins. Deciding to take things into his own hands, he pulled out a card from his deck and summoned a very small, very fuzzy, brown monster with big eyes and green arms and legs.

"Kuriboh," Atemu greeted the new creature. "Would you please ask Anzu to join Yuugi in the royal gardens?"

"kuri kuriii!" Kuriboh nodded, before flying out of the hall.

"Wait!" Yuugi cried after the loveable fuzz ball. "Kuriboh! Come back!"

But Kuriboh had already disappeared out the hall. Defeated, Yuugi turned back to his brother.

"What?" Atemu asked innocently under Yuugi's annoyed gaze. "There really isn't anything to do here. Why not enjoy yourself with your love?"

Yuugi blushed at the comment. "Are you sure it is all right if I leave?"

"Yes," Atemu nodded. "I trust you. If I need you, I will send a monster to fetch you. Just make sure you do not do anything too…"naughty"."

"Atemu!" Yuugi's face went from a slight pink to tomato colour.

Atemu laughed. "I'm joking! Just go and have fun. I promise to contact you if I need you."

"Well," Yuugi said, already walking backwards towards the door. "If you say so. I mean, you _are_ the Pharaoh after all. And I could not disobey you…

"_Bye_ brother," Atemu laughed, seeing Yuugi already half way to the door.

Yuugi smiled. "Goodbye brother. I will speak to you later!" He dashed for the door and ran outside, but not before calling back. "Thank you!"

"Not at all!" Atemu called, listening to his brother's footsteps disappearing down the corridor. He chuckled and fell back into his seat. Picking up the parchments in front of him, he continued going over the list of things that needed to be done in his kingdom. On a page entitled "Celebrations and Rituals", his eyes found themselves gazing on the "Marriages" column, where Jonouchi and Mai's names had already been placed.

"Young love…" he sighed. He couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before Yuugi were to be wed.

-I-

"Yuugi!"

Yuugi jumped down from the tree in the royal garden at the sound of his name. He looked up to see Anzu happily running towards him. He blushed when he saw she was wearing the dress he had bought for her in the market a few weeks ago, showing off her curvaceous figure and soft skin (which was just starting to build a tan).

"Good morning Anzu," he greeted her happily. They embraced. "You look beautiful in that dress."

"Arigatou," Anzu smiled as they broke the embrace. She held onto Yuugi's hand as he led her around the garden.

"And I know what that means," Yuugi said happily. "It means "thank you", right?"

Anzu giggled. "That's right. Your Japanese skills are getting better, but you still have a long way to go." Yuugi laughed. "So, why did you send for me via kuriboh?"

"I wanted to surprise you…" Yuugi teased, letting go of Anzu's hand and moving backwards slightly.

"With what?" She giggled when Yuugi covered her eyes with his hands. "Yuugi!"

"You'll see soon. Just come over here."

Yuugi led the giggling Anzu towards the end of the large garden. Anzu could hear the small stream flowing just to the side of her.

"Ready?" Yuugi asked. He felt Anzu nod her head. "One…two…three!" He removed his hands.

Anzu opened her eyes to find Curse of Dragon waiting patiently on the grass in front of them. His golden scales shone in the warm sunlight as he stretched his long, snake-like body and wings. A medium sized bag of some sort had been attached to his back, just behind a saddle big enough for two.

"Just what are you planning, Prince Yuugi?" Anzu teased.

"I just thought it would be nice if we went on a small picnic, Angel Anzu." He took her hand and led her to his dragon.

Anzu giggled. "I'd love to!" She kissed Yuugi on the cheek.

"I thought you would. But we need to make a quick stop on the way."

"Oh? Where to?" She allowed Yuugi to help her onto the dragons back, making sure she was comfortable. The dragon gave a small growl of happiness. Anzu stroked the dragon's scales.

"Just to the Memorial Oasis," Yuugi answered, climbing onto the dragon once Anzu was comfortable. He felt Anzu wrap her arms around his waist. "The place where my parents are buried."

"Why are we going there? If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all." He checked that everything was secure, before hold the dragon's reins in his hands. "I have another surprised for you. I set up a memorial to your mother next to my parents. So now you can visit her whenever you like."

"Oh Yuugi…" Anzu gasped, touched by Yuugi's kindness. No matter how many times she experience it, she was always amazed that someone could be so kind to her and love her the way Yuugi did.

"What is the matter? Do you not think it was a good idea?"

"No!" Anzu protested. "No! Of course not! I think it's a wonderful idea." She leaned forward, turned Yuugi's head to the side slightly, and planted a long, passionate kiss on his sweet lips. "Thank you so much, Yuugi. I love you."

"I love you too," Yuugi said, feeling himself floating up to cloud nine again. "Would you like to go?"

"Yes!" Anzu said excitedly, holding onto Yuugi's waist.

Yuugi pulled onto the reins. "Hold on!"

Anzu felt her stomach lurch as the dragon suddenly shot up into the air, flapping his wings to stay soaring above the clouds. She had to admit, this was a lot more comfortable than flying bareback on the Red Eyes Black Dragon. And she got to hold onto Yuugi as much as she wanted. What more could she want?

Anzu felt Yuugi place one of his hands on top of hers and give it a comforting squeeze, knowing that she still wasn't used to riding on the back of real life monsters. Anzu responded by nuzzling her head against Yuugi's back.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked out at the beautiful sights. All around her the sky was a peaceful crystal blue, with the warm sun happily shinning down on the land. Down below, Anzu watched as cities, deserts and oasis's rushed past in a blur. She saw one of the rivers below, reflecting the welcoming light of the sun.

Anzu had never thought it possible. That she would be transported to another world via an old tapestry in an abandoned shrine. That she would meet so many wonderful people in a land that resembled Ancient Egypt. That she would experience an adventure such as this one and discovering the amazing powers within her. And she would not have thought it possible that she would find someone that loved her for who she was, like Yuugi did.

But that's what they say, isn't it?

"Expect the unexpected".

Something I believe we should all do.

After all, you never know what's going to happen.

Anzu certainly didn't, and she doesn't know what the future has planned for her and Yuugi.

Her adventure has only just begun…

-I-

The End

-I-

Well, there you have it. That's the end. I still can't believe it's all over!

I want to say a **HUGE** "thank you" to everyone that's reviewed this story, no matter if it was only a few chapters or if it was every single chapter. So (in no particular order), **thank you so much**:

**Dark Shining Light, dbzgtfan2004, xXMaddie FitzpatrickXx, trekker4life, Jessiejames, Pink-Lime00, metalminions, anime-ruthless, Rain5101, sweetNaughtylittleangelgirl…, The Broken Bow, xXR.I.Pxx, me, Diamond 84, lonlywolf, priestess-one-shot, JMeg, vla1diva, darkangelwp05, Melainy, ImCrazyAndProudOfIt, KaibaYamiLover, Crystallynne, erica, Angelanime, Greater Lights, Applegrape/Applegrape8910, kobear91, yangs, Raiy, cheeky-eyes, AnimeChix, Sailor Charon, Isis the Sphinx, Una1 **and **steff-sandwich** (my younger sister!)

Thank you so much you guys! Without your support I wouldn't have been able to finish this. This chapter was dedicated to you all!

Now, because this story is finished doesn't mean I'm going to disappear. Far from it! I'll probably only do one shots for a while but I will definitely be around to write some more Peachshipping love! And if I can't come up with a good enough story, I'll just go ahead with the sequel to this (which, just to warn you, isn't actually that good).

Oh! Idea! I could do a little collection of stories based on "Another World", couldn't I?

Anyway, no matter what I decide to do I will definitely be back with more Peachshipping love for all you Peachshipping fans out there.

Please R&R and let me know what you thought of the whole story: what you loved, what you hated, and what you thought overall. I can't believe it's over TT

See you next time!

tai'sgirl23


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